Photography by John O’Hagan Recipe Development by Vanessa Rocchio Styling by Maghan Armstrong
Slow-simmered red beans, smoky ham hocks, and spicy andouille come together in this timeless Louisiana comfort dish.
Red Beans and Rice
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds dried red kidney beans*, rinsed and sorted
- 4 ham hocks
- 4 dried bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound cooked andouille sausage, cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- Hot sauce, to taste
- Hot cooked rice, to serve
Instructions
- Soak beans according to package directions; drain.
- In large Dutch oven, add ham hocks, bay leaves, thyme, and water to cover (at least 8 cups). Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water to cover, for 2 hours; drain, reserving ham hocks and broth. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add andouille, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove andouille from pot, and let drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in pot.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to pot. Sprinkle with salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and just starting to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 1½ minutes.
- Add beans, reserved ham hocks, and 8 cups reserved broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until beans are soft, 2½ to 3 hours, adding more broth as needed. Shred meat from ham hocks, discarding bones, and add meat to bean mixture.
- Mash half of beans against sides of pot with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are creamy and mixture has thickened to desired consistency, about 20 minutes. Stir in andouille and ham hock meat. Cook until heated through. Season to taste with hot sauce. Serve over rice.
Notes
*We used Camellia Brand Dried Red Kidney Beans.
