# One Version - Red Beans/Rice



## Ben Fishin (Oct 2, 2018)

Cooked this so many times, so many ways. 
This is pretty simple for the complex flavors it yields. 
Just used WalMart supplies so the ingredients are easy to get. 
It's more about technique than ingredients I suppose, I never
measure much of anything anymore, you know what you like.
Most of the fat is rendered out of this making it more healthy,
but you have to compensate for that flavor somehow. This is how I do it. 

Here are the ingredients. The already chopped and bagged onions bell pepper celery are about 1.5-2 cups each. 










Caramelizing the sausage and veggies adds huge flavor to the mix. 
I start with the sausage, render off the fat and put it in the dry pot.










Next pour off the sausage oil and replace it with the oil inside the can of anchovies. 
Brown down the veggies and three minutes before adding to dry pot, 
add the chopped anchovies and a healthy dose of chopped garlic. 
I used some seeded red ripe Jalapenos from the garden in this so that
is what you see that is red. 










Because I have these growing around the house I use them, 
but it isn't necessary. I added a bundle with sage, thyme, 
parsley and oregano in it, and always add a good many bay leaves, 
especially if they are dried out like these are and not really fresh. 
Don't add salt, anchovies have plenty.
Cover this with about 3 inches of water and bring to a boil then simmer on
low for about 20-25 minutes to pull the flavors out of everything into the 
water but don't over do it. 










I use these two when I'm too lazy to make my own because the flavors are
good and both are comparatively low in salt and heat compared to most 
Cajun blends. I can't get enough spice flavor before it gets too salty or too hot
from Tony's, Zatarains, Slap Ya Mama etc. etc. 










Spice to taste, if this looks like a lot to you then break it down in smaller
increments to add then check. I actually used this plus half as much again
because I could get away with it avoiding the salt and heat. 
Add this and bring the pot to a rolling boil. 










Add your 2 pounds of beans when the pot is rolling and keep it on high
until the water starts to boil again, cook it for 2 to 4 minutes or until the
beans rise to the top and their skin is wrinkling. 
Turn the heat off and cover. I use parts of the two ways to cook beans in this
approach, not only do I boil them and then turn off the heat like you do when
you want to quick soak them, I also let this cool down completely and soak
overnight. You already have all your flavors in the pot. 
The longer you cook it, the more of the flavor you will cook away. 
If you do it this way, the beans will absorb all of these flavors and 
if you leave it overnight, it takes very little cooking the next day to finish
the beans, so you keep most of your flavor and it's in the beans too. 










The next day bring the pot to a boil and then turn down to simmer until 
the beans are ready. If the beans are sticking out of the water when you
start, add more water until they are about 1 inch below the surface. If there is over an inch of water you might want to dip it off to keep your beans from being too runny. (I like mine kind of thick) Keep that water and add it back if necessary.
Test the beans for doneness starting at an hour, they cook quickly this way, 
it doesn't take long. When they are approaching soft and giving up the liquor
that thickens the pot, I like to add another layer of fresh cut onion, pepper 
and celery, along with a little onion and garlic powder and some black pepper. 
I cook this just until these are just turning soft but still have most of their own
flavor and some crunch texture to them. I would say 5 minutes before you
think the beans are done, put this in there. 
These are ripe red Jalapenos from the garden but you can use bell peppers
or whatever you like, I like these because of both flavor and the color they 
add to the over all dish. 










For Cajun dishes, this is the only way to cook rice, period. 
And I will argue until hell freezes over too. 
Use Zatarains par boiled rice, period. Yeah it's pricey but looky here. 
In the Latino section at Walmart they sell a rice called Iberia, it's cheaper,
but it's the same rice, I am completely convinced of that. Just marketed to
a group with less money to spend. Even the colors of the bag are the same
as Zatarains with a different design. SO~~~~~

Forget what grandma told you about cooking rice. 
If you wanted two cups uncooked you would use 4 cups water right?
Forget that. 
2 cups rice to 6 or more cups water. Forget trying to get it perfect,
it doesn't matter at ALL, you don't even have to cover it, just boil it for 20
minutes and then strain it like you do pasta noodles to get the excess water 
off. 
Works every time, delivers perfect rice, every time. 
A chef from New Orleans taught me that and I was so happy
I gave her a big ass hug. MAN is that easier than that old school crap!










The final pot should look something like this, not too thick but not too runny.
If it's too runny, then skim out some of the beans and mash them into a paste
and mix with some of the pot liquor until you get a better consistency. 










You can feed a good size pack of friends with that much beans and rice for a
really reasonable price. AAaaaaEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!


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## captken (Feb 24, 2008)

*About as good as it gets.*

I've used Sardine oil instead of Anchovy to get a little fish taste. Unfortunately they don't grow down here but wild onions from your yard add kick but you gotta caramelize them with the rest of the veggies or they will overpower everything else. 

Not quite time for Red Beans and Rice down here. Gumbo too.


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## Ben Fishin (Oct 2, 2018)

Those wild onions do have some umph for sure but not seen any in a long time. 
buddy of mine's mama died this year in Miss. he told me come dig up all her wild garlic as he aint gonna use it, on the to do list for sure, nice and tart!
I do red beans all year long but typically don't cook gumbo much until the cold season and early in spring when the seafood is fresh. 
Cooked gumbo so many times I could not guess how many but it is up there and I do mine a little different than I learned of course. 
Usually I start up when I get my first handfull of these, I am leaving for Ark. for a month in about a month, We got a serious mancave/camp up there and I love making some kick butt gumbo.


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## Flounderpounder (Oct 3, 2007)

You lost me at anchovies. Other than that, sounds great!


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## Ben Fishin (Oct 2, 2018)

Most guys who cook on the grill are shocked to learn that Worcestershire Sauce is made with anchovies. They put it in everything. The beans or anything else you put them in do not taste like anchovies, it creates a background flavor a deepening of hearty flavors. 
It's funny watching people LOVE a dish until you tell them it's got anchovies in it and POOF they don't want anymore of it. All psychological or most of it. 
I eat them straight out of the tin myself and love them.


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## jim t (Sep 30, 2007)

You really won't taste the anchovies. They are added for "umami"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami

Jim


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## Ben Fishin (Oct 2, 2018)

Thanks for the link Jim, I've known a long time that anchovies improve the flavor of dishes in a wide range of savory foods and have used them in all kinds of stuff without telling people they are in there. Didn't know the science background of the reasons, that's good to know!


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## CalvinandHobbes (Jan 25, 2014)

So what would replace anchovie oil since I can't bring myself to do that.


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## Ben Fishin (Oct 2, 2018)

Just leave the things out and use the sausage oil to work with. 
It won't be the same but it's still good. 
Replacing anchovies is no easy task. 
Caramelized onion and roasted garlic would go good. 
Or use some Worcestershire sauce just not so much that it tastes like Worcestershire.
Another way I used to do this is take two smoked hocks and cut through the skin on them around them several times so they open up when cooked, and boil them in my starter water until they are falling apart and then pull them out too cool. 
Take all that tough skin that is now soft and sort of grisly along with what little meat is on them and blend it smooth with some of the water. Then start the recipe above minus the fish and proceed. It tastes very different from the above and has more fat in it, will need a bit more salt too, but it's damn good and I cooked it that way for years.


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## ChileRelleno (Jul 7, 2012)

Gotta love the chemistry of cooking.
Great thread.


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