New Orleans Red Beans Rice Food

NEW ORLEANS-STYLE RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, ham and sausage and saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the beans, garlic, and enough water to cover the contents in the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours. Add more water if the mixture becomes dry and thick. Use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side pf the pot. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the mixture is creamy and the beans are soft. Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy but not watery. Remove the bay leaves and serve with steamed white rice.

RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Let soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
• In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the tasso and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)
• Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
• Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS & RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil in skillet.
• Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until tender.
• Add ham and cook about 4-5 minutes.
• Add beans, seasoning and broth. Continue to cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes.
• Serve over prepared rice.

EMERIL'S NEW ORLEANS-STYLE RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over med-high heat. Sauté the onions, bell pepper, celery, salt, cayenne, black pepper and thyme for about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, ham and sausage and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes
• Add the beans, garlic and 10 cups water to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmered uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 2 hours.
• Add more water if the mixture becomes dry and thick.
• After about 2 hours of initial cooking use a wooden spoon to mash about half of the mixture against the side of pot.
• Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about another hour or until the mixture is creamy and the beans are soft.
• Add more water if it becomes too thick. The mixture should be soupy but not watery.
• Remove the bay leaves and serve with steamed rice.

AUTHENTIC NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Melt shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and bell pepper in hot shortening until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Combine water, red beans, and ham hock in a large pot; bring to a boil. Stir onion mixture into the water; add smoked sausage and celery to the boiling water; return to a boil. Stir bay leaves, Creole seasoning, thyme, and sage into the boiling water. Reduce heat to low, place a cover on the pot, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 5 hours.
• Remove and discard ham hock and bay leaves; stir in hot pepper sauce and serve over white rice.

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS & RICE

Steps:

• In a very large mixing bowl (or a 12-quart non-reactive pot, or two 6- to 8-quart pots), combine all ingredients except ham and sausage. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
• When ready to cook, place all in a pot with the ham and sausage. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover, and strongly simmer (preferably without skimming), for 1 hour; stir as needed to keep beans from sticking.
• Reduce heat and slowly simmer, covered, between 2 and 4 hours, or until mixture is very thick and beans are tender. During the slow-simmering process, stir frequently, especially toward end of cooking time, adding more water to pot only if dish seems too dry.
• About 1 hour before done, periodically mash some of the beans with a potato masher, scraping pan bottom clean after each mashing; try to mash about 40 percent of the beans.
• Serve immediately over rice or, preferably, let beans cool and refrigerate overnight. Reheat for serving.

NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS AND RICE

Steps:

• Drain soaked beans in a colander and place them with all other ingredients except rice into a heavy 8-10 quart pot, adding just enough cold water to cover.
• Bring to boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until beans are tender and a thick, natural gravy has formed.
• Add 1 cup of water toward end of cooking if it is looking too dry for your tastes.
• Stir about every half hour just once or twice around the pot.
• When beans are cooked turn off heat.
• To serve, ladle about 1 1/2 cups of beans, meat and gravy over a serving of rice.

WILLIE'S NEW ORLEANS RED BEANS & RICE

Steps:

• Place all but rice into a 4 qt slow cooker.
• Cook, covered at HIGH 7 hours or until beans are tender.
• Serve with hot cooked rice.
• Note: Willie adds 2T baking soda into the pot just before it is done to reduce the gas in the beans, but be careful that you don't overflow the pot like my DH did.