Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Chef's notes

Bursting with flavor, this Cajun side dish can be served like baked beans at a southern barbeque cookout with pulled pork, ribs, chicken, or burgers. It can also be served over rice.

This version starts with smoked sausage, bacon, traditional Cajun Holy Trinity (diced bell pepper, onion, and celery), garlic, Creole and other seasonings and herbs.

Cubed pancetta, ham, smoked pig’s feet, knuckles, salt pork, leftover ham, and/or other favorites can be added or substituted.

Red kidney beans are simmered in the flavor pot with chicken broth. No need to pre-soak nor par-boil beans.

The holy trinity is a common flavor base often used in Cajun and Louisiana cooking. I was first introduced to it watching Emeril Similar to Italian Battuta, it is made with onions, bell peppers and celery.

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Ingredients

1-pound dried red kidney beans
Olive oil
12 to 14 oz Andouille or other smoked sausage
4 slices thick bacon cubed

Cajun "Holy Trinity"

1 cup diced bell peppers
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery

Other ingredients

4 large garlic cloves
2 32 oz. boxes chicken broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoons fresh finely chopped
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
1 Bay leaf
salt and pepper

Rice

2 cups brown rice
2 tablespoons butter
About 5 cups lol sodium chicken broth

Instructions

Rinse beans in a strainer. Remove any debris while placing them in a bowl.
Slice sausage into quarter in lengths. Sauté in olive oil until lightly browned,remove. Render bacon fat. Add bacon to sausage.
Sweat pepper, onion, and celery by stirring in same pot over medium-low heat. When they begin to caramelize, add garlic. Cover pot and reduce heat to low to slowly extract their flavors, about a half hour.
Add both boxes of broth, tomato paste, basil, Creole seasoning, and bay leaf. Bring to a light boil while stirring. Add beans and simmer. After about an hour, add sausage, bacon and additional broth if needed.
Adjust seasoning when beans are tender.
Simmer your favorite rice with broth and butter.

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Cajun Red Beans and Rice