Red Beans Recipe

Sort and soak

Rinse the dried red kidney beans under cold water, removing any stones or shriveled beans. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 inches (about 750 ml) of cold water. Soak for 6–8 hours or overnight. For a quick soak, bring beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand 1 hour; drain and proceed.

Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Set aside.

Prepare vegetables

Peel and finely chop the onion (about 1 cup). Finely dice the celery (2 stalks) and green bell pepper (1/2 cup). Mince the garlic cloves.

Brown the sausage

Heat 2 tbs oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Slice the andouille or smoked sausage into 1/4-inch rounds. Add the sausage and cook until browned on both sides, about 4–5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.

Combine ingredients

Return the browned sausage to the pot and add the drained beans. Nestle the ham hock into the pot. Pour in the 500 ml broth and additional 1,300 ml water (so total cooking liquid ~1,800 ml) so beans are covered by about 1–2 inches. Add bay leaves, dried thyme, smoked paprika, cayenne, and 1 tsp black pepper.

Bring to a simmer

Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low so the surface barely simmers. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally and skimming foam if needed, until beans are tender and the liquid has thickened, 1.25–1.75 hours (time varies by bean age). If liquid becomes too low before beans are tender, add hot water 1/2 cup at a time.

Mash to thicken

When beans are very tender, remove 1–2 cups of cooked beans and mash them with a fork or potato masher, then return the mash to the pot. This will naturally thicken the sauce. Alternatively, lightly press some beans against the side of the pot with a spoon.

Finish seasoning

Taste and add salt (about 1–1.5 tsp depending on broth and ham hock saltiness), additional black pepper, and smoked paprika as desired. If using, sprinkle file powder and stir to combine. Remove and discard bay leaves and remove ham hock; shred any meat and return it to the beans.

Spoon cooked white rice into bowls (about 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving) and ladle the red beans over the rice. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve hot with hot sauce on the side if desired.