The Best Red Beans and Rice Recipe
This red beans and rice recipe is the perfect thing to make for a crowd and those cozy winter nights—made with slow-cooked red beans, sausage, ham, and bacon, it's the ultimate comfort meal!
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Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried red kidney beans, preferably Camellia brand
- ½ tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound smoked sausage, preferably Conecuh
- 3 slices uncooked bacon, sliced
- 2 cups diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 medium dried bay leaves
- 1 large meaty ham bone or two meaty ham hocks
- 2 quarts water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Rice, green onions, and hot sauce, to serve
Instructions
- Rinse the beans and discard any broken or wrinkled ones. Place them into a bowl or pot and add water to cover, ensuring the beans are covered with an inch of water. Soak overnight (up to 12 hours).
- Alternatively, take the pot of beans with water and bring to a rapid boil. Boil the beans for 5 minutes, uncovered, then turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the beans soak for one hour. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high. Cut the sausage into 1 inch slices and add them to the pot, stirring and cooking until browned. Remove the sausage and set aside, then add in the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered.
- Add in the onion, bell pepper, and celery with a pinch of salt. Sauté until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are tender, around 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, basil, and bay leaves and continue to cook for about 3 minutes (do not let the garlic burn).
- Carefully add in the ham bone or ham hocks, the soaked beans, the reserved sausage, and the water. Increase the heat to high and bring the pot to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for around 2 hours, stirring occasionally until the beans are tender and the stew has thickened.
- Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard, then carefully remove the bone or hocks, picking off any meat and returning it to the pot. Discard the bones, then taste the stew and adjust for seasonings.
- Serve the stew over hot, cooked rice and garnish with green onion and hot sauce, if desired.