You have an awesome Red Beans and Rice Recipe???

Well, my problem is , that I don't normally write these things down! I just saute some onions, garlic, and smoked sausage (of your choice cut into "coins") and add a couple lbs of pre-soaked, dried kidney beans. Cover about 2" over with water. Salt and pepper to taste (float a couple of dried small chiles in the mix) and simmer until the beans are tender. My secret technique to thicken is to add mashed potatoes until I reach the desired consistancy. Remove the chiles and serve in a big bowl with a dollop of white rice in the center. We are entering prime season for this stuff up here! Good luck.

That sound like a great recipe I had a friend whos mother would do about the same recipe except a table spoon of sugar? I think I have a need for some read beans and rice Thanks!

Recipe missing one thing................A SHOVEL

I have no problems eating the red beans and rice from a box.

We buy the full line of Tony C's rice dishes (try the dirty rice with crumpled smoked "hot" fatty).

The Zatarains line of creole and red bean rice dishes are also pretty good.

Both are Not good if watching sodium though.

yup...i eat Zatarains all the time. I usually add some cooked anduille or chorizo sausage to the red beans n rice. all their boxed rice dishes are good.

brdbbq said:

Recipe missing one thing................A SHOVEL

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looks like your avatar has been using one on a regular basis...

I am like the others, in that I do not have the recipe written down. However, this is a really easy dish that you make overnight in a crock pot. In southern Louisiana, it is traditionally perpared on Sunday night for lunch on Monday.

Pretty much, this is what I do:

In a large crock pot on low setting, I add one 2lb bag of dark red kidney beans (rinse and sort for gravel before adding to pot!), and cover with water.

Add one cup each of chopped bell pepper, celery, onion, with maybe half a bunch of green onions.

Add 1lb or so (depending on how much fat you want, but no more than 2lbs) of sliced andouille or smoked sausage, and polish Keilbalsa works very well also.

Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin or curry powder, cayenne, and dried parsley. I don't use measurements, but you end up with about 1/2 cup of seasoning total. Just mix in a bowl, and modify to taste. Just be careful with the cayenne and cumin, and you can add a little paprika and dried mustard if you like.

You will need to add water as the ingredients cook down and the beans expand, and I would leave about 1/2 inch of juice on top of beans before I go to bed.

Also, these beans freeze great, and we will freeze individual portions for later use. I might have forgotten something, but this is a great start.

nmayeux said:

I am like the others, in that I do not have the recipe written down. However, this is a really easy dish that you make overnight in a crock pot. In southern Louisiana, it is traditionally perpared on Sunday night for lunch on Monday.

Pretty much, this is what I do:

In a large crock pot on low setting, I add one 2lb bag of dark red kidney beans (rinse and sort for gravel before adding to pot!), and cover with water.

Add one cup each of chopped bell pepper, celery, onion, with maybe half a bunch of green onions.

Add 1lb or so (depending on how much fat you want, but no more than 2lbs) of sliced andouille or smoked sausage, and polish Keilbalsa works very well also.

Season with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin or curry powder, cayenne, and dried parsley. I don't use measurements, but you end up with about 1/2 cup of seasoning total. Just mix in a bowl, and modify to taste. Just be careful with the cayenne and cumin, and you can add a little paprika and dried mustard if you like.

You will need to add water as the ingredients cook down and the beans expand, and I would leave about 1/2 inch of juice on top of beans before I go to bed.

Also, these beans freeze great, and we will freeze individual portions for later use. I might have forgotten something, but this is a great start.

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You really need to measure those ingredients out, for the rest of us! that sounds like a winner.

C'mon Noah. I can season to taste after I have something to start with...

The key to any good Cajun dish are a few simple things
The trinity (equal parts diced celery, onion and bell pepper (usually green)
Green onion (cook the whites, garnish with greens)
Bay leaves (fresh if possible)
Cayenne
Garlic
Pork fat (for this recipe it is sausage find one you like)

Start with the base of sauteed sausage, veggies, garlic, bay leaves, cayenne & S&P to taste (you can add any other flavors you like like oregano). From there add soaked beans and cover with you favorite liquid such as water, beer, chciken stock, vegetable stock, pureed tomatoes...(I use a dark beer like Abita Turbo Dog and cook off first and then cover with chicken stock).
Noah's recipe is a great start then add what you like. The same is true for gumbo but instead of beans added an equal part of flour to the fat in the pan (some fat from rendered sausage and some vegetable oil, butter, etc.) and cook the roux over low heat as long as you can stand to sit and stir (the low and slow method applies here, the slower the better) until it reaches a dark caramel color. Add liquids (again I start with a dark beer) and bring to a quick boil add other ingredients (roasted duck, chicken, shrimp, oysters, bbq ribs). Jambalaya is the same process but replace the beans with rice and add tomatoes, no beer, cover rice with stock.\
I do agree with Jorge re: measuring especially with cayenne, you can get into trouble pretty easy.

I don't saute, as the slow cook negates the need. Also, I did forget to add 2 bay leaves.

Advantage to sauteeing first is maintaining the integrity of the veggies (think braising as opposed to just boiling/simmering), also you marry the flavors better and can add flavor (toasting the rice for your jambalaya before adding liquid as in risotto)

All fine methods. Here's how I do it:

Fill a dutch oven 3/4 full with water and about 1 tsp salt and bring to a boil.

Add a 1# bag of small red (not kidney) beans, sorted, to the boiling water.

Boil for 2 minutes.

Cover tightly and remove from heat.

Let beans sit for exactly 1 hour.

Pour off all of the water in the pot. (The helps get rid of some of the gas.)

Add fresh water (chicken stock or brothe is even better) to the pot until the water level is 1 inch above the beans.

Put the pot back on medium heat.

In a skillet, saute 1/2# smoked sausage (more if you like).

Remove cooked sausage from skillet and place on paper towels. (Keeps you from having too much grease floating on top.

Saute 1 diced onion and 1 diced bell pepper in 1 tbsp leftover fat from the sausage. (I don't care for celery. Just doesn't bring anything to the party.)

Add the sausage, onion and bell pepper to the beans and stir well.

Add seasoning mix to the pot.

Seasoning mix:
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp cayenne

Add 2 bay leaves.

Add a few shakes of both worchestershire and hot sauce (not tabasco because it's flavor is too strong).

Stir well.

Lower heat and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. Beans should be tender. Stir occasionally and add liquid if needed.

Scoop out 1/ cup of beans and mash into a mush with the back of a spoon.

Add the mush back into the pot and stir well. (It thickens the liquids).

Simmer for a few minutes more.

Adjust the salt.

Serve with cooked long grain rice.

Tried to make this as simple as possible. PM me with any questions.

I neglected to say that there are two ways to prepare any Louisiana dish, the Prudhomme (sp?) way or the Wilson way. Justin Wilson cooks much like most of my family cooked growing up. We weren't quite as rich or sophisticated as the professionals...

(I don't care for celery. Just doesn't bring anything to the party.)

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If you use some celery in the beans (both during the one hour soak and after you change the water) it will also reduce the gaseous effects of the beans. It works for me, ymmv.
Even if the celery doesn't add much flavor (I think it does but to each thier own) it smells so dam good while its cooking, it's worth tossing into the pot.

Woodman
I tried your recipe modified with 3 tablespoons Franks hot sauce (for got to pick up the dried pepper) 3 tablespoons sugar (needed 6) I also did not have any mashed potatoes so I used my boat motor and a cup of the beans (worked ok) and lastly I cooked them in a pressure cooker with 2 inches of water over the beans for 30 minutes after steam fast cooled and opened drained, covered with water then, added meat, and spices and cooked an additional 10 minutes after steam.

I used to do the traditional red beans with some sausage and some spices but wanted something different. This is one I found online a while back and while it's not near as easy as what I used to make, it's well worth the effort!!!

Classic Red Beans and Rice

2 lbs. dried red beans, sorted and rinsed
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. browning sauce
12 oz. bacon, diced
1 lb. smoked sausage, halved and cut into ¼" slices
½ lb. cubed cooked ham
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 med. onions, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/8 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
7 cups hot cooked rice
hot pepper sauce (optional)



1. Place beans in large pot; add water to cover by 2".
2. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.
4. Drain and discard liquid.
5. To beans, add 3 quarts water, garlic, bay leaves and browning sauce if desired.
6. Bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1½ to 2 hours or until beans are tender.
8. Meanwhile, in large skillets, cook bacon until crisp.
9. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels.
10. In the drippings, cook the sausage and ham until lightly browned.
11. Remove and set aside.
12. Add oil to drippings in skillets.
13. Stir in flour until smooth; cook and stir over medium heat until reddish brown, about 12-14 minutes.
14. Add onions, celery and green peppers; cook and stir until tender.
15. Stir into bean mixture.
16. Add bacon, sausage, ham, parsley, salt and pepper.
17. Bring to a boil.
18. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
19. Remove bay leaves.
20. Serve over rice with hot sauce is desired.

Each serving is about 1 cup beans to 1/3 cup rice.

Serves 20.

pardon my ignorance but what is "browning sauce"?
thanks