New Orleans Red Beans and Rice Recipes

These recipes are dedicated to the memory of Chef Buster Holmes, whose Buster Holmes' Bar and Restaurant in the French Quarter defined what New Orleans Red Beans and Rice are all about. Chef Buster died on Monday, February 28, 1994, at the age of 89.

Creole Cooked Red Beans

1 lb dried read beans
1 ham bone
8-10 cups water
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb ham, diced
1/2 lb hot sausage, sliced
1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 cups rice, cooked

Preparation of the beans:

Wash and sort the beans. Cover the beans with water and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat an let the beans soak for at least 1 hour. Even if you plan to soak the beans overnight, this method keeps the beans from souring. This short-soak method helps retain the vitamins, cuts cooking time considerably, and produces beans with fewer hard skins than those soaked overnight. Add the salt and vlavorings only after soaking. Salt has a tendency to toughen the beans which causes them to take longer to cook. In order to prevent the beans from boiling over, add 1 tbsp. bacon grease or butter, a piece of slab bacon, or seasoning ham wieth some fat on it. One cup of dried beans yields, depending on the variety and size of the beans, 2-23/4 cups cooked beans. Nutritionally, beans are high in protein, but they require the addition of rice to be a complete protein.

After beans are prepared:

In a large pot place the ham bone, water, tomato sauce, garlic salt, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce and beans. Cook, uncovered, over low heat. In a skillet saute the ham and sausage until the grease is rendered. Transfer the ham and sausage to the bean pot. To the grease in the skillit add the cleery, onion, and garlic and saute until soft. Pour this mixture into the bean pot. Add the bay leaves, salt, and pepper and continue cooking for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the beans are soft and creamy. Add the water while cooking if necessary. Remove the bay leaves and add the parsley. Serve the beans over the rice. Serves 6-8.

Tuesday's Red Bean Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced bacon
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 tbsp minced garlic
4 bay leaves
6 oz sliced andouille sausage
1 small smoked ham hock (5-6oz)
2 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
1 tsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 quarts Basic Chicken Stock
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups cooked long-grain white rice, warm
6 tbsp chopped green onions

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the bacon and saute for 2 minutes. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, bay leaves, andouille, and ham hock and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

2. Add the beans and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the Creole seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and the stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 1 hour, stirring occaisionally. Add the salt, cover the pot, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit, covered, for about 20 minutes. Discard the ham hock.

3. To serve, ladle a generous cup of the soup into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 1/4 cup rice and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of the green onions.

Makes 7 cups, 6 hearty first-course servings.

Red Beans and Rice

1 pound red beans, soaked overnight
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
7 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 rib celery, chopped
1/2 cup catsup
1 green sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Tabasco
2 whole bay leaves
1 tsp whole thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound smoked sausage, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 pound Pickled Pork, cut into 1-inch cubes and rinsed
Cooked rice

Drain the beans. Put them in a 6-quart heavy pot and add 3 quarts of fresh water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, or until the beans are tender. Watch that the water does not boil down too far. The beans must be covered with water at all times. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the cooked rice, to the pot and more water to cover, if needed. simmer, partially covered, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the liquid has thickened. Serve over the cooked rice.

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