Louis Armstrong, the famous trumpeter, composer and performer – who lived the majority of his adult life in Queens, NY, but never forgot his New Orleans home – offered as his closing salutation, “Red Beans and Ricely, Yours.” It is truly a dish that sticks with you. Now let’s cook.

Serves 8

1 lb Camellia Red Kidney Beans

1/2 lb pickled meat

1/2 lb seasoned ham or tasso

1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced into rounds

1 cup onion, diced (about one medium onion)

1/2 cup bell pepper, diced (about one medium bell pepper)

1/2 cup diced celery (about four stalks of celery)

3 green onions, sliced

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp white pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp of fresh parsley

1 tbsp of dried parsley

1 tsp of dried oregano

3 bay leaves (always an odd number, according to Chef Leah Chase)

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

1/2 stick butter or 2 tbsp bacon fat

2 cups cooked long grain rice

Step One

There are a few different theories about the best way to cook red beans (or dried beans in general). One insists that the beans must be soaked overnight. While this isn’t absolutely necessary (and oftentimes not practical due to space) it is definitely something that New Orleans cooks still do. In theory, this allows the beans to get softer, and it certainly decreases the cook time. Another method is to brown the meats first before adding the rest of the ingredients. But to me this also seems more labor intensive than necessary. My preference, in keeping with the genesis of the dish, is to soak all of the ingredients together overnight in the pot, and then transfer the whole thing to the stovetop to cook. In my opinion, this offers the best depth of flavor. This can also be done in a crockpot in a similar manner.

Step Two

After the overnight soak, cook the beans over a medium flame until they boil freely for the first two hours, stirring occasionally. Once the beans start to burst, reduce the heat to a simmer and stir regularly, making sure the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pot and scorch. When the beans are tender, use a spoon to smash about a quarter of the beans against the side of the pot. By this point the beans will have become very creamy. A good indicator that the beans are done is also when the ham hock (if using) falls off the bone. If the beans seem too thick, add a little bit of water or stock.

Step Three

For that velvety texture that is the hallmark of New Orleans red beans, add a little butter or bacon fat in at the end (you can skip this step if you are dairy free). When the beans are finished, serve over rice and garnish with green onions and a dash of your favorite hot sauce. And if you really want to take it all the way home, grill a link of hot sausage, smoked sausage, or add a piece of fried chicken or a fried pork chop. Now you’re eating good.

You can watch the video here for red beans and rice, by James Cullen.