"Red Beans n' Rice tastes SO nice"
Mondays in New Orleans, are made for red beans and rice.
It's a simple dish, but all the recipes I have tried have missed something. I decided to give it a try, without a guide, channeling some of my favorite NOLA eateries, on Fat Tuesday.
No pressure. Lol
But thankfully, I nailed it... Here we go y'all!
1 pound bag red beans ( I use Camilla brand)
1 very large or 2 small ham hocks (when in doubt, use 2)
2 onions; chopped
2 stalks celery; chopped
2 bell peppers; chopped
6 cloves of garlic minced
1 (or 2) jalapeño; minced (deviened and deseeded)
2 bay leaves
8-10 shakes of your favorite Louisana hot sauce ( or 5 if your a weenie;)
( I also add 4 shakes Tabasco)
Creole seasoning of your choice
A couple dashes of white pepper
And my secret ingredient- 1 tablespoon bacon grease (optional of course)
Added at the end-
1 package andouille sausage (I use Holmes smokehouse) sliced
Salt and WHITE pepper to taste
Soak beans overnight in the fridge.
Rinse and double check beans for any bad beans or rocks, rinse again, and add to crock pot.
Add all ingredients except the sausage. Cover with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Cook on high 4-6 hours (adding sausage in the last hour) or low 8-10 hours (adding sausage in the last 2 hours), depending on the heat of your crockpot.
*make sure to check your beans and make sure there is enough water to cover.
When beans are done, take out the ham hock and bay leaves. Check seasonings. Adjust if needed.
Grab a potato masher and mash some of the beans to create a creamy consistency.
I serve mine in a bowl with a scoop of steamed rice, and freshly sliced green onions... and always a bottle of your favorite lousiana hot sauce!
Let the good times roll!!!
