Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Ingredients

• Two pounds of red kidney beans
• Two pounds of sausage
• One large bell pepper
• One large onion
• Oil
• Rice
• Salt or Cajun seasoning of choice

Directions

1. Set the beans to soak in water for at least eight hours, ideally overnight. Afterward, drain the beans.
2. Dice the vegetables well and cut the sausage into coins.
3. Set the stove to medium. With a bit of oil, brown the sausage and render a bit of fat from them.
4. Pull out the sausage, leaving the oil.
5. Add the vegetables, and let them cook until the onions turn clear.
6. Add the beans and sausage to the pot, and add water until the beans are just covered.
7. Let the pot come to a boil. Once that happens, turn the heat down until the pot is at a moderate simmer. Make sure to add some salt and seasoning while the beans simmer.
8. Cook until the beans are soft and tender, around one to two hours. Add water as needed.
9. Prepare rice according to package instructions.
10. Serve the beans hot over rice.

Notes

• This recipe works on a general formula of one pound sausage to one pound beans. This means you can scale up for large gatherings or down for smaller households.
• As stated in step one, it is imperative to soak the beans, as it leads to a more evenly cooked bean. While it is possible to cook the beans without soaking, it is not recommended.
• In step 7, it is mentioned to season the beans with salt while simmering. Similar to pasta, it is important to add salt while the beans are cooking, as it will make seasoning later nigh impossible.
• This recipe allows for a multitude of different sausages to be used, e.g. andouille and kielbasa, or even something like deer sausage. Feel free to use whatever savory sausage is preferred or available. Ham would even work as a good alternative.
• The sausage does not have to be added in while the beans cook. For example, they can be served whole or cut in half lengthways when plating. The sausage can even be fully omitted, if you are looking to make the dish Lenten or vegan.
• If desired, chicken bouillon can be added with the water when cooking. Another option is to use chicken stock entirely as a replacement to the water.

Source — A Personal Recipe
Prepared by Ethan Clapp
Louisiana Anthology
September 30, 2023