How to Make Red Beans and Rice
Place the red beans in water., Soak the beans for several hours., Drain the beans and set aside., Heat the bacon grease and add the chopped ham., Stir in the onions, celery, bell peppers, and seasonings., Add the herbs, sausage, and ham hocks, and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Place the red beans in water.
Take 1 pound (454 g) of dried red beans that have been rinsed and place them in a large bowl or pot.
Cover the beans with 2 inches (5 cm) of cool, clean water.
Before rinsing the dried beans, spread them out on a baking sheet or towel to sort through them.
Discard any shriveled or broken beans and any other debris you might come across.Rinse the beans under cold, running water in a colander. -
Step 2: Soak the beans for several hours.
To remove indigestible sugars from the beans, it’s important to allow them to soak.
For the best results, let them sit in the water for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.If your kitchen is extremely hot, place the beans in the refrigerator while they’re soaking to keep them from fermenting., After the beans have soaked for several hours, transfer them to a colander and drain well.
Make sure to shake out all of the excess water, so the beans don’t get mushy.
Set the beans aside while you work on the other ingredients., In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons (39 g) of bacon grease on medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Next, add ¼ cup (50 g) of chopped ham to the pot, and allow it to cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly.You can replace the ham with bacon if you prefer.
You can collect bacon fat any time you fry up some bacon.
Pour the fat and grease that’s left in the pan in a jar and store it in your refrigerator.
The fat will solidify, but you can just scoop out a few tablespoons when you need them., After you’ve cooked the ham briefly, add 1 ½ cups (240 g) of chopped yellow onions, ¾ cup (80 g) of chopped celery, and ¾ cup (112 g) of chopped green bell peppers to the pot.
Sprinkle ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt, ½ teaspoon (3 g) of freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to season.
Allow the mixture to cook for about 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.You can substitute 1 tablespoon or so of Creole or Cajun seasoning for the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. , When the vegetables are soft, mix in 3 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons (8 g) of chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons (8 g) of fresh thyme, ½ pound (227 g) of smoked sausage that’s been split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces, and 1 pound (454 g) of smoked ham hocks.
Cook the mixture on medium high until the sausage and ham hocks brown, which should take approximately 4 minutes.Stir the pot while you’re heating the mixture to ensure that the meats cook evenly. , When the sausage and ham hocks are browned, add 3 tablespoons (45 g) of chopped garlic.
Stir the mixture in the pot well, and allow it to cook for approximately 1 minute or until the garlic is lightly browned.If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. , After you’ve cooked the garlic with the mixture, add the beans and 10 cups (2.4 L) chicken stock to the pot, and mix well.
Allow the mixture to come to a full boil.If you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute water. , Once the pot comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium low.
Leave the pot uncovered and allow it to simmer until the beans become tender and begin to thicken up, which usually takes approximately 2 hours.Make sure to stir the beans periodically while they’re simmering to ensure that they cook evenly.
If the beans get too thick or dry, add more stock or water.
Only add ¼ cup (59 ml) at a time, though, so you don’t make the mixture too thin. , When the beans have simmered for a couple of hours, remove the pot from the burner.
Use the back of a heavy spoon to mash approximately ¼ of the beans against the side of the pot.After mashing some of the beans, stir them into the rest of the mixture to incorporate them. , Return the pot to the heat, and cook them on medium low for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.Since this step takes a bit of time to simmer, this is a good time to start your pot of rice. , Rice often has dusty starch on the outside of the grains, so you should rinse it before cooking.
Take 1 cup (225 g) of uncooked white rice, and rinse it in a strainer or colander until cool running water.
Rinse the grains until the water is no longer completely cloudy.You can use medium or long grain rice for the recipe depending on your preference. , Add 2 cups (237 ml) of water to 2 quart (1.8 L) saucepan, and place it on the stove.
Heat the water on high until it comes to a full boil, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.The ratio of rice to water for most types of rice is 1:2, so you should have 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of uncooked rice. , Once the water comes to a boil, pour the rinsed rice into the pot.
Mix in ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt to season the rice.
Make sure to stir well so that the salt is fully mixed into the water.You can also add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of butter to the rice and water to add extra flavor. , Place the lid on the sauce pan, and turn down the heat to low.
Allow the rice to cook until it is tender and no longer crunchy.
It should take approximately 18 minutes.Start checking on the rice after 15 minutes so you don't overcook it.
It's all right if the rice is slightly sticky, but it shouldn't be gummy.
Most of the water should be absorbed, but if there's any excess in the pan, make sure to drain it off. , When the rice is tender, remove the pan from the stove and allow it to stand for approximately 5 minutes with the lid on to steam a little longer.
Then take a fork and rake it through the rice to fluff it gently., When the beans are thick and creamy, take the pot off the heat again.
Remove the bay leaves from the mixture, and then pour the beans over cooked white rice to serve.Garnish the red beans and rice with ¼ cup (58 g) of chopped green onions. -
Step 3: Drain the beans and set aside.
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Step 4: Heat the bacon grease and add the chopped ham.
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Step 5: Stir in the onions
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Step 6: celery
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Step 7: bell peppers
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Step 8: and seasonings.
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Step 9: Add the herbs
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Step 10: sausage
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Step 11: and ham hocks
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Step 12: and cook until the meats are browned.
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Step 13: Mix in the garlic.
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Step 14: Stir in the beans and stock and bring the pot to a boil.
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Step 15: Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender.
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Step 16: Take off the heat and mash some of the beans.
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Step 17: Place the pot back on the stove and cook until the beans become creamy.
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Step 18: Rinse the rice.
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Step 19: Bring the water to a boil.
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Step 20: Add the rice and salt.
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Step 21: Cover the pan and cook until the rice is tender.
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Step 22: Let the rice stand for several minutes before fluffing.
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Step 23: Remove the bay leaves from the bean mixture
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Step 24: and pour over rice.
Detailed Guide
Take 1 pound (454 g) of dried red beans that have been rinsed and place them in a large bowl or pot.
Cover the beans with 2 inches (5 cm) of cool, clean water.
Before rinsing the dried beans, spread them out on a baking sheet or towel to sort through them.
Discard any shriveled or broken beans and any other debris you might come across.Rinse the beans under cold, running water in a colander.
To remove indigestible sugars from the beans, it’s important to allow them to soak.
For the best results, let them sit in the water for 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.If your kitchen is extremely hot, place the beans in the refrigerator while they’re soaking to keep them from fermenting., After the beans have soaked for several hours, transfer them to a colander and drain well.
Make sure to shake out all of the excess water, so the beans don’t get mushy.
Set the beans aside while you work on the other ingredients., In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons (39 g) of bacon grease on medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Next, add ¼ cup (50 g) of chopped ham to the pot, and allow it to cook for 1 minute, stirring regularly.You can replace the ham with bacon if you prefer.
You can collect bacon fat any time you fry up some bacon.
Pour the fat and grease that’s left in the pan in a jar and store it in your refrigerator.
The fat will solidify, but you can just scoop out a few tablespoons when you need them., After you’ve cooked the ham briefly, add 1 ½ cups (240 g) of chopped yellow onions, ¾ cup (80 g) of chopped celery, and ¾ cup (112 g) of chopped green bell peppers to the pot.
Sprinkle ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt, ½ teaspoon (3 g) of freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to season.
Allow the mixture to cook for about 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.You can substitute 1 tablespoon or so of Creole or Cajun seasoning for the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. , When the vegetables are soft, mix in 3 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons (8 g) of chopped fresh parsley, 2 tablespoons (8 g) of fresh thyme, ½ pound (227 g) of smoked sausage that’s been split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces, and 1 pound (454 g) of smoked ham hocks.
Cook the mixture on medium high until the sausage and ham hocks brown, which should take approximately 4 minutes.Stir the pot while you’re heating the mixture to ensure that the meats cook evenly. , When the sausage and ham hocks are browned, add 3 tablespoons (45 g) of chopped garlic.
Stir the mixture in the pot well, and allow it to cook for approximately 1 minute or until the garlic is lightly browned.If you don’t have fresh garlic, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. , After you’ve cooked the garlic with the mixture, add the beans and 10 cups (2.4 L) chicken stock to the pot, and mix well.
Allow the mixture to come to a full boil.If you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute water. , Once the pot comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium low.
Leave the pot uncovered and allow it to simmer until the beans become tender and begin to thicken up, which usually takes approximately 2 hours.Make sure to stir the beans periodically while they’re simmering to ensure that they cook evenly.
If the beans get too thick or dry, add more stock or water.
Only add ¼ cup (59 ml) at a time, though, so you don’t make the mixture too thin. , When the beans have simmered for a couple of hours, remove the pot from the burner.
Use the back of a heavy spoon to mash approximately ¼ of the beans against the side of the pot.After mashing some of the beans, stir them into the rest of the mixture to incorporate them. , Return the pot to the heat, and cook them on medium low for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the mixture thickens and becomes creamy.Since this step takes a bit of time to simmer, this is a good time to start your pot of rice. , Rice often has dusty starch on the outside of the grains, so you should rinse it before cooking.
Take 1 cup (225 g) of uncooked white rice, and rinse it in a strainer or colander until cool running water.
Rinse the grains until the water is no longer completely cloudy.You can use medium or long grain rice for the recipe depending on your preference. , Add 2 cups (237 ml) of water to 2 quart (1.8 L) saucepan, and place it on the stove.
Heat the water on high until it comes to a full boil, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.The ratio of rice to water for most types of rice is 1:2, so you should have 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of uncooked rice. , Once the water comes to a boil, pour the rinsed rice into the pot.
Mix in ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt to season the rice.
Make sure to stir well so that the salt is fully mixed into the water.You can also add 1 tablespoon (14 g) of butter to the rice and water to add extra flavor. , Place the lid on the sauce pan, and turn down the heat to low.
Allow the rice to cook until it is tender and no longer crunchy.
It should take approximately 18 minutes.Start checking on the rice after 15 minutes so you don't overcook it.
It's all right if the rice is slightly sticky, but it shouldn't be gummy.
Most of the water should be absorbed, but if there's any excess in the pan, make sure to drain it off. , When the rice is tender, remove the pan from the stove and allow it to stand for approximately 5 minutes with the lid on to steam a little longer.
Then take a fork and rake it through the rice to fluff it gently., When the beans are thick and creamy, take the pot off the heat again.
Remove the bay leaves from the mixture, and then pour the beans over cooked white rice to serve.Garnish the red beans and rice with ¼ cup (58 g) of chopped green onions.
About the Author
Debra Tucker
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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