New Orleans Red Beans & Rice

In a large dutch oven or heavy pot over medium flame, lightly brown the pickled pork and ham cubes. Remove to a plate, then lightly brown sausage. Remove sausage to a plate.

Add butter or olive oil to the pot and add bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook until soft. Add the garlic (I know it is a lot, but it is what makes these beans so good) and cook for about 1 to 2 more minutes. Add back all of the meat, the red beans and enough water to cover the veggies, beans and meat. Add the Tabasco and black pepper. Stir beans and cover.

Reduce heat to low and cook until the beans are tender and the sauce is thick, about 5 hours. If sauce is thin, remove the cover and it will thicken. If it is too thick, add a little more water. Another trick to thicken the sauce is to scoop out some beans, mash them with a fork and add them back. Sometimes I also just use my big spoon and do it right in the pot!

Serve the beans over rice.

These freeze beautifully and are even better leftover. I often make them on Sunday and serve them on Monday night!

The Tabasco and meat add salt to these beans. I normally do not add extra salt during the cooking process. It is a matter of taste and if you think they need salt, go ahead and add more!

I add a bunch of strong dashes of Tabasco during the cooking and more when I serve, if I think it needs it. I like these beans kinda spicy, but beware, don’t add too much to the pot or kids will have a hard time eating them. My 2-year-old loves these even with the Tabasco I use in the recipe.