—Not On Website, Beans, Bills Kitchen, Friends
1 - pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over (I use the small Dark Red Bean, not larger Kidney or Pinto Beans.)
6 – strips bacon cut to 2” (to get at least 3 tablespoons of bacon grease)
1/2 - cup bacon pieces (created from above)
1 1/2 - cups chopped yellow onions *
3/4 - cup chopped celery *
3/4 - cup chopped green and red bell peppers *
1/2 - teaspoon salt (I do not salt the “soak” water for the beans)
1/2 - teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I use Malabar)
Pinch – cayenne pepper – or – 1 to 2 tablespoon(s) Hot pepper Sauce (I use Texas Pete)
3 - bay leaves
2 - tablespoons chopped fresh parsley *
2 - teaspoons fresh thyme
1 - pound smoked pure pork sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces. (I use Richards HOT Pure Pork Sausage.)
2+ - pounds smoked ham hocks (usually 3)
2 - tablespoons chopped garlic
10 - cups chicken stock, or water (I use 100% chicken stock)
4 to 6 - cups cooked white rice
1/4 - cup chopped green onions, garnish
Place the beans in a large bowl or pot and cover with water by 2 inches.
Let beans soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse and set aside. (OR place beans in pot, cover with water by about 2”, bring to a rolling boil; take off heat, cover, and let them sit for 2 hours. Drain and rinse and set aside.)
In a large pot or skillet, brown ham hocks; set aside.
In a large pot, heat the bacon over medium-high heat to get grease. Do not over-cook, stirring, for about 4 minutes.
Transfer bacon to the separate pot or skillet, with the ham hocks.
Add the sausage to the grease. Heat thoroughly, stirring for about 5 minutes. Do not brown too much.
Transfer sausage to pot with bacon and ham hocks.
Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, hot sauce, and/or cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 6 minutes. Do not let the onions caramelize.
Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme; stir and combine all with bacon, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 4 more minutes.
Add the beans and stock (or water), stir well, and bring to a boil. (Liquid should completely cover everything in the pot.)
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2-1/2 hours. (Should the beans become too thick and dry, add more water, about 1/4 cup at a time.)
Remove from the heat and with the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/4 of the beans against the side of the pot.
Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 additional minutes.
Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.