Red Beans and Rice
This recipe was given to me by my sister. It's a hearty dish and wonderful for the cold winter months. To make it a little meatier, I cut up a small ham steak in cubes and add the cubed ham the last 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.
This recipe was given to me by my sister. It's a hearty dish and wonderful for the cold winter months. To make it a little meatier, I cut up a small ham steak in cubes and add the cubed ham the last 20 minutes. Serve over cooked rice.
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 2 cups dried red beans
- 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
- 1 ham hock
- 1 pound smoked sausage sliced
- Carbohydrate 35.0482828881062 g
- Cholesterol 34.5864182125 mg
- Fat 16.6491635388045 g
- Fiber 14.1329353455124 g
- Protein 20.2131044284235 g
- Saturated Fat 5.36775611741237 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (115g)
- Sodium 483.636789560147 mg
- Sugar 20.9153475425938 g
- Trans Fat 2.44630150982601 g
- Calories 367 calories
Step-by-step
- Pick over the dried beans, and soak them in water overnight.
- The next day, drain off the soaking water, and place the beans in a large pot or slow cooker. Cover with water, and stir in the dried garlic and onion, salt, bay leaf, sugar, cayenne pepper, celery seed, cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes. Push the ham hock down into the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer over low heat for 3 to 4 hours.
- Stir in the smoked sausage, simmer for 20 more minutes, and serve.
Simmering dried legumes without an initial hydration phase yields unevenly cooked starches with split skins and chalky centers. Thorough soaking allows water to penetrate the seed coat uniformly, establishing the correct internal moisture gradient before heat is ever applied. Discarding the soaking water removes indigestible oligosaccharides located in the outer layers, which reduces gastrointestinal distress and improves the clarity of the final pot liquor.
Submerged in fresh water alongside aromatic spices and a cured pork joint, the beans require three to four hours of gentle convection to break down complex carbohydrates completely. Maintaining a low simmer prevents the delicate starches from rupturing prematurely against the bottom of the pot, while the collagen from the ham hock melts into the liquid to create a naturally thickened gravy. Incorporating sliced smoked sausage during the final twenty minutes prevents the lean meats from overcooking and releasing excessive salt into the reduction.
Adjusting ingredient quantities requires careful attention to liquid volume and pot dimensions when scaling down for smaller households or multiplying for large gatherings. Halving the batch mandates using a narrower three-quart vessel to ensure the ham hock remains fully submerged without requiring excessive top-up water that would dilute the seasoning profile. Conversely, doubling the volume demands a wider cooking surface to promote even heat distribution across the bottom layer of starches.
Leftovers stored in an airtight container at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit will thicken further as the starches continue to absorb moisture overnight. Reheating these portions necessitates adding a splash of water and stirring frequently over medium-low heat to restore the desired gravy consistency without scorching the bottom of the pan.
