Slow-Simmered Cajun Red Beans and Rice

Name: Slow-Simmered Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 40 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Cajun & Creole
Ingredients: 1 lb (454 g) dried red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed; 8 cups (1900 ml) cold water, for soaking, cold, to be drained and discarded; 2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 12 oz (340 g) smoked andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons; 2 cups (300 g) large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 1 large onion); 1 cup (150 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 3 ribs); 1 cup (150 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 1 large pepper); 5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme; 1 tsp (2½ g) sweet paprika; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves; 7 cups (1650 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, room temperature or cold; 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, added at the end, plus more to taste; 2 cups (370 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear; 3 cups (710 ml) water; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter; 4 whole (40 g) green onions, thinly sliced; Louisiana-style hot sauce, to taste, at the table (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Creamy red kidney beans simmered for hours with smoky andouille and the Cajun "holy trinity" of onion, celery, and bell pepper, then spooned over fluffy long-grain rice. It's a Louisiana Monday-night classic that is easy, cheap, and very comforting.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 2 hr 40 min
Wait: 8 hr 10 min
Total: 11 hr 20 min
Makes: About 10 cups of beans plus 6 cups of cooked rice (8 generous servings)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the beans
1 lb (454 g) dried red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed
8 cups (1900 ml) cold water, for soaking, cold, to be drained and discarded
2 tbsp (30 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
12 oz (340 g) smoked andouille sausage, sliced into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons
2 cups (300 g) large yellow onion, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 1 large onion)
1 cup (150 g) celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 3 ribs)
1 cup (150 g) green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 1 large pepper)
5 cloves (15 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 whole (1 g) dried bay leaves
7 cups (1650 ml) low-sodium chicken stock, room temperature or cold
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, added at the end, plus more to taste
For the rice
2 cups (370 g) long-grain white rice, rinsed in a sieve under cold water until the water runs mostly clear
3 cups (710 ml) water
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
To serve
4 whole (40 g) green onions, thinly sliced
Louisiana-style hot sauce, to taste, at the table (optional)

Equipment (7)

6- to 7-quart (5.5-6.5 L) heavy-bottomed stockpot or enameled cast-iron pot with lid
Large bowl (at least 4-quart / 4 L) for soaking beans
Colander
Wooden spoon
Medium (2- to 3-quart / 2-3 L) saucepan with tight-fitting lid for the rice
Fine-mesh sieve for rinsing rice
Chef's knife and cutting board

Steps

Before you start

Start the beans the night before: they need an 8-hour soak (up to 12 hours). Plan on about 3 hours of cooking the next day.
Red kidney beans contain a natural toxin that is destroyed only by a vigorous, rolling boil for a full 10 minutes. Do not skip that step, and do not cook them in a slow cooker without boiling them first.
Andouille is already salty, so don't add salt until the end of cooking. Taste first.
Chop all the vegetables and slice the sausage before you turn on the stove.

1
Soak the beans
- Pick through the kidney beans and discard any stones or shriveled beans.
- Rinse them, then put them in a large bowl with the 8 cups (1.9 L) cold soaking water.
- Let them soak at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours.
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Ready when: Beans are plump, with no wrinkles, and have roughly doubled in size
Tip: The soaking water holds starches that can cause digestive upset, so you will drain it all and discard it.
2
Prep vegetables and sausage
- Drain the soaked beans in a colander and rinse them well.
- Dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces and keep them together in one bowl.
- Mince the garlic.
- Slice the andouille into ¼-inch (6 mm) half-moons.
- Measure the thyme, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper into a small dish.
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Tip: Cut the vegetables small. They melt into the beans and thicken the pot.
3
Brown the andouille
- Set a 6- to 7-quart (5.5-6.5 L) heavy pot over medium heat and add the oil.
- Add the sliced andouille in a single layer as much as possible.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 7 minutes, until the slices are browned at the edges and the fat has rendered into the pot.
- Leave the fat in the pot and the sausage in with it.
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Ready when: Sausage is browned at the edges and the bottom of the pot has a reddish, flavorful film
Tip: The browned film on the pot bottom is flavor. The vegetables in the next step will loosen it.
4
Sweat the trinity
- Add the diced onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, for 8 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent and the vegetables have released their liquid.
- Lower the heat if anything begins to scorch.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft, and the pot bottom is no longer sticking
5
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, paprika, cayenne, and black pepper.
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute, until very fragrant.
- Do not let the garlic brown.
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Ready when: Garlic and spices smell strongly aromatic and the vegetables look coated in red
Tip: Add a splash of stock if the spices start to stick.
6
Boil the beans hard
- Add the drained beans, bay leaves, and chicken stock.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a full, rolling boil, which takes about 10 minutes.
- Once the beans are boiling vigorously across the whole surface, keep them boiling for a full 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, and skim off any foam that rises.
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Ready when: Surface is bubbling rapidly and continuously for 10 full minutes by the clock
Tip: A gentle simmer is not enough. Start timing only once the boil is rolling.
7
Simmer until tender
- Reduce the heat to low so the liquid bubbles gently.
- Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar.
- Simmer for 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes and scraping the bottom, until the beans are completely tender.
- If the beans are ever exposed above the liquid, add ½ cup (120 ml) hot water.
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Ready when: Beans squash easily between your fingers or against the pot, with no chalky center
Tip: Older dried beans can take 30 minutes longer. Keep simmering until they are truly tender.
8
Mash and thicken
- Remove the lid and raise the heat to medium-low.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash about 1½ cups of beans against the side of the pot, and stir them back in.
- Simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 20 minutes, until the liquid turns thick, creamy, and gravy-like.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Start the rice (next step) about 5 minutes into this stage.
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Ready when: A spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that slowly fills back in, and the beans look creamy rather than soupy
Tip: If it gets too thick, stir in hot water ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time. The beans thicken more as they stand.
9
Cook the rice
- In a 2- to 3-quart (2-3 L) saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, 3 cups (710 ml) water, ½ teaspoon salt, and the butter.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once, then cover tightly and reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 15 to 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Remove from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork.
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Ready when: All the water is absorbed, small steam holes dot the surface, and grains are tender and separate
Tip: Lifting the lid lets out steam and leaves the rice unevenly cooked.
10
Season and serve
- Stir the 1 teaspoon salt into the beans, taste, and add more salt, black pepper, or cayenne if needed.
- Spoon a mound of rice into each bowl and ladle the beans and sausage over the top.
- Garnish with the sliced green onions and pass hot sauce at the table.
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Ready when: Beans taste well seasoned, with a savory, smoky, slightly spicy flavor
Tip: Salting at the end prevents tough bean skins and keeps the sausage from making the dish too salty.

Good to know

Tips

Mashing some beans against the pot is the secret to a creamy texture without adding flour or cornstarch.
Stir the beans from the bottom of the pot regularly, since the starchy beans can scorch.
Don't add salt, vinegar, or hot sauce until the beans are tender. Acid and salt early can keep the skins tough.
A teaspoon of cider vinegar stirred in at the end brightens the flavor if the pot tastes flat.

Make ahead

The beans taste even better the next day. Cook through step 8, cool, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock. Cook the rice fresh when serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: store beans and rice separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Freezer: freeze the beans (not the rice) for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat beans in a pot over low heat, stirring and adding water or stock a few tablespoons at a time until creamy and steaming hot. Reheat rice in the microwave with 1 tablespoon of water, covered, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Substitutions

smoked andouille sausage → smoked kielbasa or other smoked pork sausage. Add ¼ teaspoon extra cayenne since kielbasa is milder.
low-sodium chicken stock → water. The beans will be less rich. Add an extra ½ teaspoon salt at the end and consider adding a smoked ham hock in step 6.
neutral oil (vegetable or canola) → bacon drippings. Adds extra smoky flavor. Use the same amount.
dried red kidney beans → dried small red beans. They cook slightly faster, so start checking for tenderness at 1 hour 15 minutes of simmering. Still boil hard for 10 minutes.