Red Beans & Rice(Dupree)
Submitted by indianpaint
New Orleans-style red beans and rice slow-simmered with salt pork, the holy trinity, hot sauce, and Worcestershire. A Cajun Monday tradition from dried beans.
This red beans and rice is the real deal: dried red beans soaked overnight, simmered for hours with salt pork, the Louisiana holy trinity of onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and seasoned with cayenne, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and bay leaves. It’s the kind of slow-cooked pot that defined Monday dinners in New Orleans.
Salt pork is the traditional fat for this dish. As it simmers with the beans, it renders slowly and infuses the cooking liquid with a smoky, porky richness that bacon or ham hocks can approximate but never quite match.
The beans cook for 2 to 3 hours after the vegetables go in. By the end, some of the beans break down and thicken the pot into a creamy, gravy-like consistency while others stay whole and tender. That mix of textures spooned over steamed rice is what red beans and rice is all about.
Chef Tips
- Soak the beans overnight. Skipping this step adds hours to the cook time and can result in unevenly cooked beans.
- Check at 2 hours. You want tender, not mushy. Overcooked beans lose their shape and turn into paste.
- Stir occasionally during the long simmer. Beans stick to the bottom of the pot if left alone too long.
- A full cup of chopped parsley stirred in at the end adds freshness that cuts through the richness of the salt pork.
Variations
- Add sliced andouille sausage for a smokier, meatier version.
- Stir in a ham bone instead of salt pork for a deeper, more complex pork flavor.
- Finish with a splash of vinegar for brightness.
Ingredients
Directions
Drain the beans, place them in 2 quarts of water with the salt pork, and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
Add the chopped onions, green onions, bell pepper, and garlic; and cook slowly for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Test the beans after 2 hours.
They shout be tender not mushy.
Add the parsley, salt, peppers, oregano, bay leaves, hot sauce, and Worcestershire.
In a large pot combine with the cooked rice.
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