Red Beans (and Rice)

I grew up on the west coast in California. When I say beans, I mean pinto beans. I had heard of red beans and rice in films and books but I had never had the occasion to try them. The dish looks and sounds good. Creamy, smokey, bean stew with sausage. How could that be bad? I’m glad I gave it a try, it’s delicious!

Ingredients

• 3 TBSP salt (table salt)
• 1-pound small red beans, rinsed and picked over
• 4 slices bacon, sliced thin
• 1 baseball-size onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 green apple, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 TBSP minced garlic
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• ¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 TBSP Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base + 9 cups water OR 3 cups chicken broth + 6 cups water (see notes)
• 8 ounces andouille sausage, cut into half rounds/bite-size pieces
• 1 TBSP red wine vinegar
• Cooked rice to serve

Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven (5 to 8-quarts) stir 3 tablespoons of salt into 4 quarts of cold tap water until it is dissolved. Stir in the beans and cover. Soak at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. When you are ready to start cooking, drain, and rinse the beans. Leave them in the colander and set them aside.
2. Rinse and dry the Dutch oven and place it over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook stirring occasionally until most of the fat has rendered and it is well browned. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir until they are softened. Add the apple, garlic, thyme, paprika, bay leaves, chili powder, and the black pepper. Stir constantly for 20 to 30 seconds, until you can smell the herbs and spices.
3. Add the beans, chicken stock, and water. Stir well and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat enough so that the beans are at a light boil/rolling simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the beans are still firm but easy to smush.
4. Optionally, remove 1 cup of the beans with about ¼ cup of the liquid. Blend smooth with a blender or food processor. Alternatively, you could use a stick blender directly in the pot and pulse it a few times (see notes). This will give a more creamy texture to the dish.
5. Return the smooth bean mixture to the pot, along with the sausage and vinegar. Continue to cook for a further 20 to 30 minutes. The sausage should be heated through and when you sample a bean, it should hold together but be soft and creamy when you bite it.
6. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Makes 6 Servings

Notes

• I like to use a stick blender to blend up some of the beans, so the dish is creamer. A stick blender is the fastest least stuff to wash way to do it. You could also just smash some of the beans with the back of a wooden spoon or skip this step altogether.
• This recipe was adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.