Red Beans & Rice
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 3 1/2 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped finely
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 7 cups water
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 pound red beans, rinsed (I like the small beans, not kidney, if available)
- 1/2 pound andouille sausage, smoked sausage or kielbasa
- salt to taste
- 6 cups cooked rice for serving
- hot sauce or garden chili sauce for serving
Instructions
In a Dutch oven, preferably a heavy cast iron or enameled cast iron, cook bacon till lightly browned but still bendy. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat and reserve the bacon. Add onion, celery, and green bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer, stirring, or until fragrant.
Add the chicken broth and water, then oregano, thyme, cayenne, and bay leaves. Stir. Add the beans and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a vigorous simmer (should be steaming and several bubbles breaking the surface) and cook, uncovered, stirring now and then till the beans are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 2 1/2 hours.
Stir in sausage and cook till liquid is thick and creamy, about 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Turn the heat down if necessary. Chop the bacon and stir into the pot. Add salt to taste.
Serve over rice, and accompany with hot sauce and garden chili sauce.