1 lb. dried premium Great Northern or Red Kidney beans
3 Tbsp butter
2 cups diced yellow onions
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced green bell peppers
3 bay leaves
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2+ Tbsp of diced garlic
1 Lbs. meaty smoked ham hock
1 Lbs. smoked sausage
1/3 Lbs. pickled pork (optional)
1 Lbs. meaty smoked ham hock
1 Lbs. smoked sausage
1/3 Lbs. pickled pork (optional)
Cajun/Creole seasoning
Steamed rice
There are three fantastic variations to this recipe. Go to the Notes below for a surprise.
There are three fantastic variations to this recipe. Go to the Notes below for a surprise.
The Night Before -
Place the beans in a large bowl and
cover with
salted water by 4" and a healthy dose of salt
salted water by 4" and a healthy dose of salt
Let soak for 8 hours or overnight, sometimes I do it for 48 hours.
Drain, rinse 2 times if necessary and set aside.
Boil the ham hock in a saucepan for 50 minutes then add bite sized pieces of the pickled pork (if using) and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Total boiling time should be 60 minutes even if the pickle pork is not used. Reserve the broth.
Cut the sausage into 1/3 inch rounds and fry until brown in a large pot (I use a porcelain coated cast iron pot) then remove the sausage set aside.
Add butter to the pot over medium-high heat. Add finely diced onions, celery and bell peppers to the pot and cook until tender, about 10 minutes adding water if necessary.
Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and garlic, cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the beans, stir. Add water to cover the beans by about 1 inch.
Bring to a boil, stir again and reduce the heat to a slow simmer uncovered for about an hour stirring every 20 minutes. Make sure you scrape the cooked beans from the bottom of the pot with a wide wooden or plastic spatula. Add water as necessary.
Bring to a boil, stir again and reduce the heat to a slow simmer uncovered for about an hour stirring every 20 minutes. Make sure you scrape the cooked beans from the bottom of the pot with a wide wooden or plastic spatula. Add water as necessary.
After 1 hour, remove the bay leaves and add the ham hock and pickled pork along with its juices.
After simmering for another hour place the hock on a cutting board and separate the rine and bone from the meat. Put the meat back into the pot.
Simmer until the beans cook down and become become creamy, adjust the seasonings (if necessary) with Cajun/Creole seasoning.
But remember, particularly with respect to salty seasonings, you can put it in but you can't take it out so be judicious and sprinkle in a little stir and taste until you are happy.
After simmering for another hour place the hock on a cutting board and separate the rine and bone from the meat. Put the meat back into the pot.
Simmer until the beans cook down and become become creamy, adjust the seasonings (if necessary) with Cajun/Creole seasoning.
But remember, particularly with respect to salty seasonings, you can put it in but you can't take it out so be judicious and sprinkle in a little stir and taste until you are happy.
Serve over steamed white rice and enjoy with catfish or not - better with!
Note 1: I was messing around the other day and decided that I'd try something different so instead of using rice for my white beans. I boiled up some Fettuccine pasta, after draining I cut the strands into about 1 inch long pieces and mixed it in with the beans. It was an amazing departure from the standard rice.
Note 2: Serve red or white beans with catfish or any other white fish.
I saved the best for last so here it is.
Note 3: A Cajun told me to pitch in a few pieces of fried chicken legs and/or wings in the pot of red beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Try not to knock off the breading as you stir the beans. When done, remove the chicken to a plate, put down a bed of rice in a bowl, and ladle the red beans on top. There is no doubt that this is the only way that I'll make them from now on. Yes, they were that good!
Note 1: I was messing around the other day and decided that I'd try something different so instead of using rice for my white beans. I boiled up some Fettuccine pasta, after draining I cut the strands into about 1 inch long pieces and mixed it in with the beans. It was an amazing departure from the standard rice.
Note 2: Serve red or white beans with catfish or any other white fish.
I saved the best for last so here it is.
Note 3: A Cajun told me to pitch in a few pieces of fried chicken legs and/or wings in the pot of red beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Try not to knock off the breading as you stir the beans. When done, remove the chicken to a plate, put down a bed of rice in a bowl, and ladle the red beans on top. There is no doubt that this is the only way that I'll make them from now on. Yes, they were that good!