New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice

The Monday tradition of New Orleans. Rich, creamy beans with andouille sausage over perfect rice.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
• Holy Trinity: 1 cup onion, 1 cup celery, 1 cup bell pepper — diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 8 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• Salt to taste
• Cooked white rice to serve
• Hot sauce

Directions

1. Cook sausage in a large pot until browned. Remove and set aside.
2. Sauté Trinity in sausage fat until very soft, 10-12 minutes.
3. Add garlic, thyme, pepper, and cayenne. Cook 2 min.
4. Add soaked beans, water, ham hock, bay leaves, and half the sausage.
5. Boil 30 min, then simmer covered 2-2.5 hours until beans are completely tender.
6. Mash about 1/3 of beans against the side to create a creamy sauce.
7. Remove ham hock, shred any meat. Add remaining sausage.
8. Season with salt. Serve over rice with hot sauce.

Notes

Mashing some beans is traditional and essential — it creates the thick, creamy gravy that makes red beans and rice distinct from soup. Monday was traditionally wash day in New Orleans, when red beans could cook unattended.