How do you make red beans and rice?

[hilhill]

How do you make this recipe?? I've never had it before but it sounds good! I already went to the grocery store, I got..

1 lb dry kidney beans
Lots of white rice
A thing of smoked turkey sausage

I guess my deal is that I can never cook dry beans! I either overcook them or undercook them and they always come out too hard... Same thing happens with rice, too.. How long goes everything have to cook??

Any advice??

[lisaann]

not sure about the beans but regular rice is:
2 cups water
1 cup rice
simmer, on medium, covered for 20 minutes

and that's it :thumb

if you put a little boullion in the water it tastes good :nod

[hilhill]

Wow, thanks I'll try that! I've always heated it for like 45 mins and never got it right...

[Biblecat2]

I like the New Orleans style, but it's not spicy:

4 cups dried red beans
2 quarts water
1 pound ham or salt pork
1 carrot, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight in cold water;drain. Heat the beans in about 2 quarts of water, add all ingredients except salt, and boil for a least 2 hours. when beans are tender, mash them up a bit. Serve on white boiled rice with meat and vegetables on top.

Yummm!

[wife]

Biblecat2 has a good recipe. You can also put it in the slow cooker, but I like it better on the stove... Mashing is important.. Don't leave too many of the beans whole.

When I cook mine on the stove, I let it simmer all day.. oh and I don't add carrots...I use onion, celery and bell pepper, one each. We use the ham with white beans and sausage with red beans...

In Louisiana it is considered a traditional Monday meal.

[Sweetlybroken]

Hilhill :wave,

I had a friend from Belize who made red beans w/rice and chicken that turned into one of my families very favorites! It takes a little effort to make, but we make a large batch so we all can eat it for lunch and dinner for at least two days :shocked

Shopping list:
bag of dried kidney beans
garlic and more garlic :lol2
2 - 3 large onions
peppers; usually a few red; green and yellow or orange if on sale
short grain brown rice
2 whole chickens (cut into pieces)
Season All Salt
Pepper flakes
Oil
Water
Salt & Pepper
Room air freshener :lol2

I've made this so many times, I am afraid I have no real measurements, but I think I have it pretty close.

In large bowl place all chicken pieces with each lightly coated with Season All Salt. Chop one large onion into chunks and mix into chicken. Set aside for now.

In large 5 qt. teflon coated pot place your red beans (after washing).
Cover with just enough water that it covers beans by at least an inch or so.
Bring to boil, then turn down to slowly cook. Continue to add water to keep beans covered. When fork tender; add salt and pepper to taste; and a few tablespoons of oil. Add two cloves or so of garlic chopped; about one onion; 1 green pepper; 1 red pepper; all chopped in bite sizes. Simmer a few minutes until the vegs get a bit tender.
Now to beans add (here I am guessing since I never measure)
short grain brown rice; approximately 2 - 3 cups.
Add as much water now to cover rice over by just an inch or so when all stired together. Place tight fitting lid on and simmer until rice is tender and all water is absorbed; or add a bit of water at a time if needed to finish rice. Don't over water though and don't be afraid to stir if you think it maybe sticking.

Okay, the rice is now finished and you can begin the chicken.

* This is a bit of work, but I promise it is worth it:thumb

In large pot add oil and brown each piece of chicken. I put it back into same pot as unbrowned chicken until I finish this process.
When all is browned just put it all back into the same pot you browned in. Don't worry about cleaning pot. I take same bowl and fill with water and put all the good juice into pot and cover chicken with water. Add remaining garlic; onion; peppers; red pepper flakes to your liking!
Bring to slow boil and continue until chicken begins to almost fall off bone.

Get a heaping of the brown rice in a bowl and then a large laddle of the chicken with broth over top! Time to enjoy all your hard work:hat

Hope you give it a try.

Sweetlybroken

[Cd4u_2]

It might help if you soak your beans overnight

and as for the rice. Keep the lid on and don't stir it (stirring it cause it to lose water too prematurely, I think) after you boil the water and put it on simmer: the lowest temperature as possible or it will scorch. That's how I cooked my rice.

[wife]

2 words....

Rice cooker.. yup love mine

But before the rice cooker I cooked it like Cd..... 1 cup rice 1 cup water a pat of butter and salt. Bring to boil and simmer for about 20-30 min... Don't peek!!!!!! Rice likes it's privacy...

[GreenEyedLady]

follow the directions on the zataran's box!!!!

[AnnaC]

follow the directions on the zataran's box!!!!

That's what I do!!! :lol2

I'll probably try some of these recipies though, they sound really good!