🕒 Prep & Cook Time
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus soaking if using dried beans)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Total Time: ~2 hours
🛒 Ingredients
Beans
- 1 lb dried red beans (or 3 cans, drained & rinsed)
- 6 cups water or chicken broth
- 1 smoked ham hock (or smoked turkey leg)
- 12–14 oz smoked sausage (like andouille), sliced
Flavor Base (Holy Trinity)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Seasoning
- 1 tsp salt (adjust later)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½–1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp oregano
Rice
- 2 cups white rice
- 4 cups water
- Pinch of salt
👩🍳 Directions
1. Soak the Beans (if using dried)
- Rinse and sort beans
- Soak overnight or quick soak:
- Boil 2 minutes, rest 1 hour
- Drain and set aside
2. Cook Sausage
- In a large pot or Dutch oven:
- Brown sliced sausage until slightly crispy
- Remove and set aside
3. Build the Flavor Base
- In the same pot, add onion, bell pepper, and celery
- Cook 5–7 minutes until softened
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute
4. Add Beans & Meat
- Add:
- Red beans
- Ham hock
- Cooked sausage
- Water or broth
5. Season & Simmer
- Add all seasonings and bay leaves
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat
- Cover and simmer 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally
- Beans should be tender and creamy
6. Make It Creamy (Southern Trick)
- Mash some beans against the side of the pot
- This thickens the dish naturally
7. Cook the Rice
- Bring water and salt to a boil
- Add rice, cover, reduce heat
- Simmer 15–18 minutes until fluffy
8. Finish & Serve
- Remove ham hock, shred meat, return to pot
- Remove bay leaves
- Taste and adjust seasoning
- Serve beans over hot rice
🔥 Southern Tips
- Add a dash of hot sauce or vinegar before serving
- Let it sit 20–30 minutes after cooking—flavor gets even better
- Traditionally a Monday dish in the South
- Even better the next day (seriously)