mpnola
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In New Orleans, it is tradition to eat red beans and rice on Mondays. It's the day people used to wash clothes all day while the beans cooked. We usually use smoked sausage (or andoille sausage) or ham. But ours are eaten with way more beans than yalls pics show. And usually.more creamy that solid beans. I will attach a pic of what they usually look like. I will add my super easy recipe that I use, but if your store has cans of Blue Runner red beans, they are actually pretty good! I brown some sausage and add to a can of blue runners over rice often!!!
Also, for our roux, we do a big spoon of flour and a big spoon of oil. Mix mix mix o er medium low heat and don't stop until it is the color of a copper penny. Some like it darker. The darker it is, the richer the taste. But if you burn it, Chile, throw it out! You will never cover the burnt flavor.
Red beans-
1lb bag of dried red beans- rinse and rocks removed
Put in a big pot with about 1/2 the pot of water.
I boil then turn to medium low. Here's where things can go wrong. Don't add any seasoning yet! The beans will stay hard. So let them go for about 2 hours like that.
The next 2 hours, I add my onions, celery and garlic I sautéed in butter. A whole lot of them. It's called "the trinity" here. We pretty much don't cook without those 3. Then, I add butter. Put how much you want, but a half stick to a stick is best. And about 2-3 dried bay leaves. Leave them whole and don't eat them! They are just for flavor. Cook like that another 2 hours.
For the last 2 hours, I first use a hand blender for a few whirs around (you don't want it all blended, just make it creamier with some whole or part intact). You can also use the back of the spoon to mash them on the side of the pot. Then, I add my smoked sausage. I like to brown mine first. Some people like ham or sausage, not browned. Here is also where you add your salt, pepper, hot sauce.
Red beans are an art, not a science. You might need more water. You might have to adjust your heat. I stir mine bc my stove loves to make things stick. My friend is a "don't open except every 2 hours" girl. At the end, you serve over rice. Everyone here adds hot sauce- Tabasco or Frank's or crystal. I do it in individual dishes bc I like mine spicy and my son is mild. My favorite is with a piece of French bread to scoop up the leftover juice. Well, now I want red beans and rice.....
Also, for our roux, we do a big spoon of flour and a big spoon of oil. Mix mix mix o er medium low heat and don't stop until it is the color of a copper penny. Some like it darker. The darker it is, the richer the taste. But if you burn it, Chile, throw it out! You will never cover the burnt flavor.
Red beans-
1lb bag of dried red beans- rinse and rocks removed
Put in a big pot with about 1/2 the pot of water.
I boil then turn to medium low. Here's where things can go wrong. Don't add any seasoning yet! The beans will stay hard. So let them go for about 2 hours like that.
The next 2 hours, I add my onions, celery and garlic I sautéed in butter. A whole lot of them. It's called "the trinity" here. We pretty much don't cook without those 3. Then, I add butter. Put how much you want, but a half stick to a stick is best. And about 2-3 dried bay leaves. Leave them whole and don't eat them! They are just for flavor. Cook like that another 2 hours.
For the last 2 hours, I first use a hand blender for a few whirs around (you don't want it all blended, just make it creamier with some whole or part intact). You can also use the back of the spoon to mash them on the side of the pot. Then, I add my smoked sausage. I like to brown mine first. Some people like ham or sausage, not browned. Here is also where you add your salt, pepper, hot sauce.
Red beans are an art, not a science. You might need more water. You might have to adjust your heat. I stir mine bc my stove loves to make things stick. My friend is a "don't open except every 2 hours" girl. At the end, you serve over rice. Everyone here adds hot sauce- Tabasco or Frank's or crystal. I do it in individual dishes bc I like mine spicy and my son is mild. My favorite is with a piece of French bread to scoop up the leftover juice. Well, now I want red beans and rice.....
You say it is traditional to eat it on Mondays, but I had heard it is a dish eaten for New Year’s Day. Or was it Eve…I forget.
