Ingredients
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1 lb dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
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3 tablespoons bacon grease
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1/4 cup tasso, or ham chopped, tasso is cajun seasoned pork
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3/4 cup celery, chopped
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
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1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
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3 bay leaves
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2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
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2 teaspoons fresh thyme
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1/2 lb smoked sausage, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
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1 lb smoked ham hock
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3 tablespoons garlic, chopped
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10 cups chicken stock or 10 cups water
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4 cups cooked white rice
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1/4 cup green onion, chopped for garnish
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3/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
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1 1/2 cups yellow onions, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl or pot add the beans and cover with water by 2 inches.
- Soak for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat melt the bacon grease . Add the tasso or ham and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
- Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham hocks, and cook, stirring, to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 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 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.
- Serve over rice and garnish with green onions.