Red beans & rice, with a patty of creole hot sausage.It's been more than 15 years since I left New Orleans, and I still smell "phantom" red beans cooking on Mondays, especially during Carnival season, the stretch between January 6th (12th Night) and Mardi Gras day.
In bygone days, red beans were cooked alongside the laundry on washday - Monday - using Sunday's hambone for seasoning. They'd simmer all afternoon, getting creamy and soaking up the pork fat and aromatic vegetables, then be ladled over steamed white rice, accompanied by a link of grilled sausage, a thick pork chop or a crisp fried chicken breast. You can still find red beans most Mondays on the lunch and dinner specials in restaurants all around the Crescent City.
Making authentic red beans "from scratch" is a labor of love, and does require a little planning, if not much expertise. First, you have to acquire "real" red beans and the essential seasoning meats: pickle pork and andouille sausage.
Dry red kidney beans are available at almost any grocery store and, in a pinch, they'll make a decent pot of red beans and rice. The genuine article is
Camellia Brand, a smaller, lighter colored bean than you'll find in a three-bean salad. Camellia red beans cook up creamy and delicious, perfect with pork seasoning meats. For the tenderest, most savory outcome, soak the beans overnight. It doesn't hurt to say a few nice words to them, as well, such as "Oh my, but you're some beautiful beans!" or "Mmmm! You are gonna make a fine pot of red beans and rice!" Do be sincere - the beans can tell.
Pickle pork (AKA pickled pork or pickle meat) is pork shoulder preserved in brine. I can't begin to describe the flavor or texture, except to say that it's unique and wonderful and not really useful for anything other than making red beans, in my estimation.
Savoie's makes a nice pickle pork, and you can make your own, if your spouse is understanding about that sort of thing. (My recent attempt at pickling pork, using
Chuck Taggert's recipe, was a tragic failure - I had to pitch the whole pot of beans (sobbing), which became aggressively vinegary and bitter. I'll try again, this time rinsing the pork well before adding it to the beans.) If you can't find or make pickle pork, smoked ham is an acceptable substitute - have it sliced thick, then dice it into 1" cubes. A smoked ham hock is even better
Almost everyone has heard of
andouille (say ahn-doo-wee) by now, though the real thing is quite a bit different from what you'll find outside of Louisiana. Andouille is a slightly chunky pork sausage, spiked with red, white and black peppers and garlic, then smoked over pecan and/or hickory and sugar cane. The effect is a balance of sweet, spicy and smoky, with an afterburn that'll remind you where this stuff comes from.
Savoie's makes my favorite andouille, though there a number of good choices. I don't recommend using a non-Louisiana andouille in your red beans unless you know what "the real thing" is supposed to taste like; you'll be better off with a good quality smoked sausage, such as kielbasa. If you start with a mild sausage, add a dash of cayenne, black and white pepper to compensate.
Fortunately, Camellia red beans and Savoie's pickle pork and andouille are available online from
Cajun Grocer, an indispensable resource for NOLA expats. Pick up some CDM coffee and chicory while you're there.
The truly indispensable ingredients, of course, are an appetite and the desire to create a memorable meal.
1 lb red kidney beans
8 - 10 cups water
1/2 lb diced pickle pork or smoked ham, or 1 smoked ham hock
1 lb Louisiana andouille or good quality smoked sausage, sliced on the bias
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
pinch each of red, white and black pepper
dash each of Worcestershire and Tabasco
salt to taste
1 bunch parsley, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
For serving:
Extra long grain white rice, steamed
Warm French bread
Crystal hot sauce or Tabasco
The night before: rinse, sort and soak the beans in plenty of water - leave at least a few inches for them to expand as they plump up. Say a few nice words to the beans.
Drain and rinse the beans, and cover them with the water in a heavy-bottomed 6-quart or larger stock pot or dutch oven. Add the pickle pork and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Meanwhile, brown the andouille in a heavy skillet, adding it to the beans as it becomes brown. Saute the onions, garlic and celery in the skillet until transparent, scraping to catch the nice bits of andouille stuck to the bottom. Add to the beans.
Add the rest of the seasonings, but go easy on the salt - the meats will add significant saltiness, and you'll be better off adding salt just before serving.
Reduce heat to a simmer, partially cover and stir occasionally for 2 hours, or until tender.
Five minutes before serving: stir in most of the parsley and green onions, reserving a bit of each for garnish.
Serve over hot extra long grain white rice, sprinkled with parsley and green onions. Pass the hot sauce at the table. Say a few nice words to the beans before devouring.
Red beans freeze very well and taste even better a day after they've been cooked - do take out the bay leaves, though, or they may get bitter.
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