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People all over the world rely on staples such as rice and beans to feed their family inexpensively. If you're looking to save money or are just looking to eat less meat, red beans and rice is a great dish to have in your repertoire. Read on to learn how to make red beans and rice.
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Introduction
- Sometimes simple comfort foods are appreciated more than elaborate dishes. Rice and beans, flavored with ham, sausage, and seasonings, is a basic dish that you can adjust to suit your family's tastes.
Step 1: How to Make Red Beans and Rice
- Although it's a simple dish, the beans do take a while to cook, so make sure to start them early in the day.
Ingredients for Red Beans and Rice
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans
- Water
- 4 1/2 cups cooked rice
- 4 pounds of ham hocks
- 2 cups each of celery, onion, and green pepper, finely chopped
- 5 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons each of white pepper, dried thyme, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 pound andouille sausage
Equipment for Red Beans and Rice
- 6 quart stock pot
- Colander
- Spoon
How to Make Red Beans and Rice
- Place the beans in a pot, covered with water, and allow to soak overnight.
- Drain and rinse the beans, and set aside.
- Place the ham hocks, vegetables, and seasonings in a pot with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour.
- Remove the ham hocks, and reserve.
- Add the beans and 4 cups of water to the pot and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add 2 more cups water and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Add the sausage and cook for an additional 34-45 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure the beans don't burn.
- Add the ham hocks when the beans are soft and begun breaking up.
- Simmer for 10 minutes more and serve with rice.
Rajma Chawal
While the recipe further down the page is on the Latin American version of red beans and rice, the dish is not exclusive to Latin cuisine. This video demonstrates the preparation of an Indian version of red beans and rice, Rajma Chawal. The recipe requires red kidney beans, basmati rice, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, and a green chile pepper.
Step 2: Red Beans and Rice Tips
- Substitute black beans for a richer flavor, or use a mixture of black and red beans.
- Observe a New Orleans tradition, and serve red beans and rice for lunch on Mondays.
- If you aren't using ham hocks, substitute chicken stock for water to provide additional flavor.
- If you forgot to soak the beans overnight, you can accelerate the softening by boiling them for two minutes, then turning the heat off and allowing them to sit, covered, in the water for an hour. Drain them, and proceed as above.
Step 3: Red Beans and Rice Recipes
- Recipezaar: Popeyes Red Beans and Rice
- Simply Recipes: Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- Food Network: Red Beans and Rice
