Stewed Red Beans
Submitted by themaillady
New Orleans-style red beans simmered with smoked ham hocks, kielbasa, the holy trinity, and a kick of Tabasco. Thick, smoky, and good enough to make on a Monday or any day.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
60 minREADY
75 minDown in Louisiana, Monday means red beans. And these right here are the real deal.
Dried kidney beans simmer with smoked ham hocks until they soak up all that porky, smoky goodness. Browned kielbasa, the holy trinity of celery, onion, and green pepper, plus garlic, thyme, oregano, and a healthy shake of Tabasco all go into the pot for the final stretch.
By the time it’s done, the beans have started to break down and thicken the whole pot into something creamy and rich without a drop of cream in sight. Serve it over steamed rice and you’ve got a bowl of pure Louisiana comfort.
Pro Tips
- Stir frequently in the last 30 minutes. The beans break down and stick to the bottom of the pot if you walk away.
- Mash some of the beans against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to thicken the liquid. That’s the old-school trick for getting that creamy texture.
- Make a big batch. Red beans keep for three days in the fridge and get better with each reheat as the flavors keep melding.
- Don’t go easy on the Tabasco. The beans can handle it, and that vinegary heat is what makes the dish sing.
Ingredients
Directions
Rinse the beans in a colander under cold running water, discarding any pebbles or broken beans.
Either soak in cold water to cover overnight, or bring to a boil and allow to sit, covered, for 1 hour.
Drain.
Bring the beans and ham hocks to a boil with 2 quarts of water.
Simmer covered for one hour, then remove the ham hocks, and drain the beans.
When the ham hocks are cool enough to handle, remove the meat and discard the skin and bones.
While the beans are simmering, brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon, and add the celery, onion, green pepper and garlic to the pan.
Sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Place the beans, sausage, vegetables, ham meat, bay leaves, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano and tabasco in a saucepan with 6 cups of water.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook for 45 to 60 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently.
Stir frequently, especially towards the end of the cooking time.
The mixture should be thick and the beans should have started to break up.
Discard the bay leaves. Serve while hot.
Note: the beans can be prepared up to three days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered with plastic wrap.
Reheat in a microwave oven or in a 300F oven for 25 minutes.
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