Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

We make this all the time. It comes out just like the red beans and rice we used to eat at Treebeard’s in Houston.

Two changes from the original worth knowing before you start. The recipe calls for 10 cups of water and that comes out soupy — 5 is right. And in the last hour, pull the ham hock out, shred the meat off it with a fork, and stir it back in rather than leaving it whole.

Ingredients

• 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced into rounds
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound dried red beans, soaked overnight
• 1 ham hock
• 5 cups water (the original says 10 — at 10 it’s watery, 5 is perfect)
• 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

To Serve

• Sour cream
• Fresh chives, chopped
• Really good French bread

Directions

1. Brown the sausage rounds in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 5 to 7 minutes. Lift them into the slow cooker with a slotted spoon and leave the drippings in the pan.
2. Cook the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño and garlic in those drippings over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add them to the slow cooker.
3. Add the soaked beans and the ham hock, pour in the water, and stir in the basil, Creole seasoning and black pepper. Cover and cook on Low until the beans are tender, about 8 hours.
4. About an hour before it’s done, lift out the ham hock. Pull the meat off with a fork, shred it, and stir it back into the pot. Discard the bone.
5. If it’s looser than you want at the end, take the lid off, turn it up to High, and let it cook down until the beans go creamy.
6. Serve over the hot rice — with a little sour cream, a few chives, and really good French bread. Don’t skip these.