Creole Red Beans and Rice

There are a lot of interpretations of red beans and rice from many different cultures. Today is a a classic creole version with andouille sausage and the New Orleans trinity  

Ingredients:

1 pound of red beans 

4 TBSP butter
1 pound andouille, chopped into half moons

1 green pepper, diced
1 sweet onion, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
5-7 cloves of garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
1 smoked hamhock
4 cups of stock, plus 1 cup of water
2 tsp Worcestershire
1 tsp crab boil
1 tsp joes stuff
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic
1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp smoked paprika
green onion and parsley, chopped for garnish

2 cups of long grain rice

Directions: 

1. The night before - soak the beans overnight at least 12 hrs. 

2. Add 2 TBSP butter to a dutch oven, dust with smoked paprika, brown sausage. Then remove with slotted spoon

3. Add onion, celery and green pepper and sauté for 10 min

4. Add 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp thyme

5. Add minced garlic - 1 min

6. Add sausage back in along with hamhock, beans. stock and water

7. Add Worcestershire and crab boil and stir, bring to a low simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally just to make sure beans aren't sticking to the bottom of the pot

8. After 1 hour, stir. Put the lid slightly off center and cook another 1 hour with a low simmer

9. Remove lid and add remaining seasonings (Joe's stuff, cumin, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, pepper).

10. Remove bay leaves.

11. Use a wooden spoon to smash some of the beans against the side of the pot. Simmer for 1 hour on low with cover off. The color should darken a bit and some of the liquid evaporate.

12. About 30 minutes left of cooking, take out hamhock and remove skin and bone. Add any shredded meat back to pot. Cook the rice according to package directions

13. Stir in remaining 2 TBSP butter and taste for seasoning.  Likely needs a pinch of salt.

14. Serve with green onion and parsley as garnish.