Red Beans & Rice with Smoked Sausage

Red beans and rice is a Monday staple in New Orleans, and this version does it right: dried red beans simmered for hours with a smoked ham shank, smoked sausage, onion, garlic, and a trio of thyme, sage, and cayenne.

The ham shank is what builds the pot liquor. Over two and a half hours of slow simmering, it releases smoky, meaty flavor into the broth that no amount of seasoning can replicate. The smoked sausage, cut up and added at the start, infuses every bean with its spicy, smoky fat.

The finishing trick is pure Louisiana genius: mash a few tablespoons of cooked beans into a paste and stir them back in. This thickens the broth into a creamy, gravy-like consistency without adding any flour or roux. Fifteen more minutes on the stove and the whole pot comes together.

Chef Tips

• Soak the beans for only 30 minutes in this recipe. The long simmer does the rest. Over-soaking can make them mushy.
• Add salt at the end, not the beginning. Salt added to dried beans early in cooking can toughen the skins.
• Add water as needed during the simmer. The beans should stay submerged. Exposed beans cook unevenly.
• Mashing those few beans at the end is what makes this dish. Don’t skip it.

Variations

• Use andouille sausage for a spicier, more traditional New Orleans flavor.
• Add diced celery and green bell pepper with the onion for the full Cajun holy trinity.
• Stir in a few dashes of hot sauce at the table for extra kick.