Authentic Louisiana Style Red Beans and Rice
This authentic Louisiana red beans and rice recipe features smoked meat and andouille sausage to develop smoky cajun flavors resulting in the creamy red beans we all know and love.
Ingredients
- 1- pound dried red kidney beans (preferably Camellia brand)
- 4 oz package of uncooked bacon diced – used to render fat
- 1 package 12 oz. andouille sausage chopped
- 2 lbs of smoked meat i.e. smoked neck bones or ham hocks
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 4 cloves garlic finely diced or minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tbs garlic powder
- 2 tbs onion powder
- 2 tbs parsley
- 1 tbs black pepper
- 1 pinch of Cajun seasoning
- salt to taste
- cooked rice
Instructions
- Sort beans by removing any rocks and damaged beans, and rinse. Sit in cool water.
- Rinse smoked neckbones* and add to a deep pot or dutch oven. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
- Once the smoked meat has boiled for at least 10 minutes, skim the foam from the top of the pot and add your red kidney beans.
- Bring the beans and smoked neckbones to a boil for another 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and remove the smoked neckbones from the pot.
- Cover the pot containing the red beans and allow to soak in the smoked neckbones liquid for approx. 30 minutes. Drain, rinse and set aside.
- (While soaking your beans, begin to prep other steps simultaneously)
- Add bacon to the pot, and sauté over medium heat. Sauté until fat has rendered and bacon is browned. Remove bacon from pot. Cut sausage into 1-inch chunks and bacon fat, cooking until browned; remove and set aside. (if enough fat was not rendered from your bacon, feel free to add a little oil).
- Add the diced bell pepper, onion, and celery to the drippings and sauté until tender, approx. 4- 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, and continue cooking for about 3 minutes until fragrant, continuing to stir to ensure the garlic and veggie mixture does not burn.
- Add the smoked neckbones, bacon, sausage, and red beans. Mix together. Add the 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for about 1 – 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, or until beans are tender.
- Remove the smoked necklines and debone. Shred and add back to the pot when done.
- Remove about a cup of beans when beans are tender and mash with a fork. Add mashed red beans back to the pot and stir for added creaminess.
- Taste and adjust for seasonings. Add salt if needed.
- Serve over hot, steamed rice and Enjoy!
Notes
If you are like me and never remember to soak your beans overnight, the quick boil in the smoked meat liquid. This introduces a fantastic depth of flavor and smokiness to the pot of beans. Also, it helps drastically decrease the cooking time.
I always debone the smoked meat because as the beans "solidify" in the fridge, it does so around the bones, making it challenging to prepare leftovers the next day.
If you use the above quick boil and soak method and/or chicken broth instead of water, do not add more than a pinch of salt. The smoked meat and broth already have a ton of sodium, and I find it is rarely needed. If so, adding it at the end will ensure your red beans are not too salty.