T-Boy's Red Beans & Rice

12 servings Prep: 20 m Cook: 3 h Total: 3 h 20 m Intermediate
5.0/5 (5)
T-Boy's Red Beans & Rice
This is a traditional Monday food in New Orleans. Everyone has their own recipe for Red Beans & Rice, most of which probably change a little with each cooking. On a Monday the ladies of the house would put on a pot of red beans to cook all day while they tended to the laundry. This inexpensive dish made with kidney beans, andouille sausage, ham hocks, and the holy trinity also makes wonderful party food. Don’t forget the Tabasco or Bruce Louisiana’s Red Hot Sauce.

Ingredients

12 servings
  • 1 quart water
  • 2 smoked ham hocks or shanks
  • 3 cups chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 tsp each red, white and black pepper
  • 1 tsp each garlic and onion powder
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic, oregano and thyme
  • 1 tsp or more Tabasco sauce
  • 3 to 4 bay leaves
  • 1 pound Andouille of pork sausage cut in ¼" pieces
  • 3 cups diced ham (preferably Cure 81)
  • 1 pound kidney beans (soaked in hot water while you chop veggies)
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • Salt to taste
  • Cooked white rice for serving

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. In a 5 qt heavy pot add the water, ham hocks, onion, celery, bell pepper, peppers, garlic and onion powder, garlic, oregano, thyme, Tabasco, and bay leaves. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cover pot and simmer for 1 hour until ham on hocks starts to fall off.
  2. Remove ham hocks from pot and pull ham from hocks when cool. Add ham and beans to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and bring to a slow boil uncovered. Cook about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the sausage. Cook 30 minutes more, stirring the bottom of pot about every 15 minutes so beans don’t scorch.
  4. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook about 30 minutes more or until beans are soft and creamy. When beans are cooked add soft butter and turn heat off and stir till butter melts. Add a little salt to taste, let cool slightly. Serve over cooked white rice.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why are my beans still hard after cooking?

A: Beans may be old (old beans take much longer to soften) or you may have added acidic ingredients too early. Make sure to soak the beans in hot water while prepping, and don't add salt until the beans are nearly tender. If they're not softening, you may need to cook them longer—sometimes up to 4 hours for older beans.

Q: How do I keep the beans from sticking and scorching?

A: Stir the bottom of the pot every 15 minutes during the last hour of cooking, and make sure there's enough liquid in the pot. If beans do stick, don't scrape them—transfer the good beans to another pot and continue cooking. Scorched beans will make the whole dish taste burnt.

Q: How thick should red beans be?

A: The beans should be creamy with some beans broken down to thicken the gravy. If too thin, mash some beans against the side of the pot and stir to thicken. If too thick, add a bit of water. The consistency should coat the back of a spoon but not be paste-like.

Tips and Techniques

Soaking the beans in hot water while you prep the vegetables saves time and helps them cook more evenly. For creamier beans, mash some against the side of the pot during the last 30 minutes of cooking. The butter added at the end gives the dish a silky finish—don’t skip it.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • andouille sausage: smoked kielbasa or smoked turkey sausage
  • ham hocks: smoked turkey wings or a meaty ham bone
  • kidney beans: small red beans (preferred in New Orleans) or pinto beans
  • fresh garlic: 1 tsp garlic powder (in addition to what's already listed)

Equipment Needed

  • 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Large wooden spoon for stirring
  • Knife and cutting board for chopping vegetables

Historical Context

Monday red beans and rice is one of Louisiana’s most iconic traditions, born from practicality in the Creole kitchens of New Orleans. Washday required tending the laundry, so cooks needed a dish that could simmer unattended while using up Sunday’s ham bone—making red beans both economical and delicious.