Name: Rochester's Barbecue & Grill LLCs Cajun – Style Red Beans And Rice Recipe
Cook time: 3 h 30 min
Total time: 3 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 1.5 cups dried red kidney beans (or small red beans); 6 cups water (for soaking); 12 oz andouille sausage (or smoked kielbasa), sliced 1/4" thick; 4 slices bacon, chopped; 1 each yellow onion, medium, diced; 0.5 each green bell pepper, diced; 2 each celery stalks, diced; 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 6 cups chicken stock (or low-sodium broth); 2 each bay leaves; 2 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme); 2 tsp cajun seasoning; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 0.5 tsp dried oregano; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 0.5 tsp file powder (optional); 1 tbsp unsalted butter (optional, for finish); 2 cups long grain white rice; 3.5 cups water; 0.75 tsp salt; 1 tbsp unsalted butter or neutral oil; 3 stalks scallions (green onions), thinly sliced; 2 tsp hot sauce (optional)

Method

Red Beans

Soak beans (preferred, overnight)

Rinse 1.5 cups dried red beans under cold water, remove any debris. Place in a large bowl and cover with about 6 cups cold water. Soak at room temperature for 8–12 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking. (If short on time, use quick soak: cover beans with 6 cups water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit 1 hour, then drain.)

Brown the meats

In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the chopped bacon and cook 5–7 minutes until fat renders and bacon begins to crisp. Add the sliced andouille sausage and cook 3–4 minutes until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer half the cooked meat to a bowl and leave the remaining meat and fat in the pot to flavor the beans.

Sauté the vegetables

Add the diced onion, green pepper, and celery to the pot with the fat. Cook over medium heat 6–8 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine beans and liquid

Add the drained soaked beans to the pot. Pour in 6 cups chicken stock. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs (or dried thyme). Stir in cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.

Simmer

Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to maintain a low simmer. Partially cover and simmer gently 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 15–20 minutes and checking liquid level. Add more hot water or stock by 1/2 cup increments if beans look dry. After about 1 hour, mash some of the beans with a large spoon or use an immersion blender briefly (1–2 pulses) to thicken the cooking liquid and create a creamy texture.

Return reserved meat & adjust

About 20–30 minutes before beans are done and tender, return the reserved browned sausage and bacon to the pot. Continue simmering until beans are soft and sauce is thick and creamy, about another 20–30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt, cayenne, or Cajun seasoning as needed. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in 1 tbsp butter and up to 1/2 tsp file powder if using, then keep warm.

Rice

Rinse the rice in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water until water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch. Drain well.

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups rinsed rice, 3.5 cups water, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp butter or oil. Bring to a boil over high heat, then stir once, reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer 15–18 minutes without lifting the lid.

After the time is up, remove from heat and let rice rest covered 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork just before serving.

To Serve / Garnish

Spoon a generous portion of hot rice onto each plate or bowl. Ladle the red beans over the rice (classic ratio is about 1 to 1 by volume). Garnish with sliced scallions and a few dashes of hot sauce if desired. Serve immediately.