Classic Red Beans & Rice

My red beans and rice recipe will have your home smelling like you walked into a downhome local cafe in Southern Louisiana. This fail proof recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal and can even be cooked in a crockpot for busy families like ours.

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Your List of Ingredients

• 2 tbls vegetable oil

• 1 green bell pepper, chopped

• 3 stalks celery including leaves, chopped

• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped

• 3 tbls minced garlic

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 tbls kosher salt

• 1 1/2 tbls creole seasoning

• 1 tbls garlic pepper

• 8 ounces Red Kidney Beans, presoaked according to the package directions

• 1 smoked ham hock or 2 smoked turkey necks

• 4 cups chicken stock

• 2 cups water

• 1 tbls Louisiana Hot Sauce (DO NOT SUB TABASCO!)

• Cooked rice

Ingredients

1. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, brown sausage. Remove the sausage from pot with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium low and add vegetable oil.

2. Add vegetables, cook for 3 mins or until softened while stirring to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

3. Add bay leaves and dry seasonings. Stir to coat all vegetables and cook until seasoning is dissolved.

4. Add beans, ham hock, chicken stock and water to the pot. Stir in hot sauce. Cover and bring to a rapid boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and let simmer covered for 1 hour.

5. Add back in smoked sausage. Simmer for an additional 1.5 hrs.

6. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a round potato masher, smash about 1/4 of the cooked beans. Stir to combine the smashed beans with the bean liquor.

7. Cook for an additional 30 minutes to allow the beans to thicken and become creamy. Serve hot over cooked rice.

Alternate cooking method: Use your crockpot!

1. After sausage is browned, place all ingredients into a crock pot.

2. Cook for 5 hours on HIGH or 8 hrs on LOW temperature.

3. 30 mins prior to end of cooking, smash the beans and stir together.

4. Cook on HIGH for last 30 mins. Serve hot!

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