Red Beans & Rice

Ingredients

• 1 lb dry red beans
• 2 yellow onions, chopped
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped
• 2 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
• 4 green onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 lb jalapeno smoked sausage
• 2-3 lb Chinese-style pork spare ribs
• 1-1½ lb andouille or tasso (optional)
• 2 tbs bacon grease
• 2 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp Cajun seasoning
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp black pepper
• pinch sugar
• 7-8 C vegetable stock or water

Directions

1. Wash beans and soak them overnight in enough water to keep them covered.
2. Cut the meats into medium chunks
3. Season the ribs with salt, pepper and garlic and brown in bacon fat over medium high heat. The ribs will render as they cook so additional cooking oil may not be necessary.
4. When the ribs are browned, remove and brown the rest of the meats. This process will season the pot and leave a nice fond.
5. When the meats have been browned, add the onions, bell pepper, celery, and carrots and sauté until they are translucent (about 10-15 minutes). Add some white wine if the pan becomes dry.
6. When the vegetables are translucent, add the garlic, the beans, and the dry seasonings and return the browned meats.
7. Add enough stock or water the cover the ingredients plus about ½ to 1" (~8 C) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the beans are soft and the meat from the ribs falls off the bone, usually 2-3 hours (start checking after 1½ hours)

Chef's Notes

• To improve the stock, bring 5 cups of water to a boil with the vegetable scraps and a tablespoon of Better than Bouillon vegetable base. Reduce heat and simmer while the rest of the dish is cooking. Strain and add enough water to make 8 cups. This is a very flavorful stock.
• You can also greatly improve the spicy quality of the dish by adding the jalapeño membranes and seeds to the stock essary).
• You can make a lower-fat version of this dish by using low fat ham chunks or turkey ham and turkey smoked sausage. If you do, you may need to add some cooking oil to keep the meats from burning. You may also need to add Cajun seasoning, since some lower-fat meats are not as seasoned.