Red Beans And Rice

If you read my article on the 'common bean', then you known that the combination of red beans and rice provides a complete protein source that is both healthy and nutritious. The other thing that I love about this dish is that it is minimalist pantry friendly and is extremely affordable to make. Beans and rice dishes are popular in a wide variety of countries and cultures because they are not only filling, but it is very affordable to make. Most recipes for red beans and rice call for some form of meat to be added to the dish, whether it be smoked sausage, ham, chicken, rabbit or whatever you can shoot and bring home doesn't really matter. In fact, if you want to leave the meat out and go vegetarian this dish will still provide a complete protein source for your family.

This particular dish is very popular in the southern United States especially in Louisiana and East Texas where we live. A Cajon and Creole tradition, there are many variations on this recipe. Last week I was making my cornbread dressing to put in the freezer in anticipation of thanksgiving and I had an extra eight ounces of breakfast sausage so I decided in true 'Culinary yoU' fashion to use the leftover sausage to make my version of a quick, easy and cheap version of red beans and rice. I have included directions for cooking your red beans in both a pressure cooker or a dutch oven, allowing you to choose the method that best works for you.

Red Beans and Rice

Now in traditional Cajon and Creole cooking celery, onions, and bell peppers (known as the trinity or trifecta) are sauteed in butter or oil and are a major component of gumbos, jambalaya, dirty rice, red beans and rice as well as a wide variety of other dishes. I do not have any bell peppers in the garden right now, but I have a ton of banana peppers so I used them in place of the bell peppers. So don't fret if you have to do a couple of substitutions, cooking on a budget means using what you got in the pantry and the fridge especially leftovers. My original recipe calls for using 1lb smoked ham cubed, and 1lb of smoked sausage cut into ½-inch slices, so if you want to make a more traditional red beans and rice then use both of these as opposed to the breakfast sausage.

1lb or dried kidney beans

8 ounces breakfast sausage

2 quarts of water

2 stalks of celery, diced

1 onion, diced

1 large green or red bell pepper, diced

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 teaspoons of dried parsley or 2 tablespoons freshly chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Carefully pick though your dried beans and remove any small rocks or other debris. Then cover the beans with cold water about 4 to 5 inches above the top of the beans and soak them overnight. The beans will absorb a lot of water and expand so make sure you cover them well. In the morning rinse them throughly and place them in your pressure cooker or large dutch oven and add the 2 quarts of fresh water.

Diced the onions, celery and bell peppers and set aside. Then in a large sauté pan, brown your ham and sausage (in this case I used 8 ounces of uncooked breakfast sausage) and remove from the sauté pan leave the oil or grease to sauté your celery, onions and peppers in. Sauté your vegetables just until the onions are translucent, then add the contents of the sauté pan and the remaining herbs and seasonings to the pressure cooker or dutch oven that contain the beans and the water. Do not add the meat at this time, we will add it just before serving.

Chef's Note: You can add the ham pieces to the beans when cooking, but some pre-cooked smoked sausages will develop a 'mealy' texture when cooked for long periods of time or when pressure cooked as the fats in the sausage are cooked out. That is why I add my cooked meats at the end of the cooking process.

Pressure Cooker Instructions

Place your 10lb weight on your pressure cooker, or of you have a Fagor set the dial '2' (12lbs) and bring the cooker up to temperature. Then cook the beans for 30 to 40 minutes and remove from the heat. Once the pressure has been released, take a potato masher and slightly mash some of the beans or us a spoon and mash some of the beans on the side of the cooker. The beans should be smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings the way you like them, then add you meat and cook on low for 10 minutes or until the sausage, ham, or other meat is hot. Serve over hot rice.

Chef's Note: Red beans cooked in a pressure cooker do not have to be pre-boiled as the pressure in the cooker will destroy the phytohemagglutinin toxins that are contained in the beans during the cooking process. For more information of the toxins in red beans see my article 'Beans, Beans The Musical Fruit! An Inexpensive and Healthy Protein Source'.

Dutch Oven or Stockpot Instructions

Bring the beans to a boil and boil for 30 minutes (per USDA recommendations), then reduce the heat and simmer until done (30minutes to 2 hours). Once the beans are soft, take a potato masher and slightly mash some of the beans or us a spoon and mash some of the beans on the side of the cooker. The beans should be smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings the way you like them, then add you meat and cook on low for 10 minutes or until the sausage, ham, or other meat is hot. Serve over hot rice.

Cost Breakdown

Red beans and rice is an inexpensive meal that is not only filling, but healthy (if you use less fatty meats) in addition to being downright cheap. This recipe cost me approximately $2.63 for six to eight servings, that $0.33 per serving (for eight servings) and $0.44 per serving (for six servings). 1lb dried red beans $1.00 (1lb bag $1.00 Dollar Tree), 8oz dried rice $0.24 (20lb bag $8.92 Walmart), 8oz breakfast sausage $1.29 (16oz package $2.58 Save-A-Lot), plus $.10 for miscellaneous herbs and spices. I do not know about you, but I think that is a whole lot of bang for your buck!

Now adding 1lb or smoked ham and or 1lb of smoked sausage would bring the cost up considerably, however making it vegetarian brings the total cost down to $1.34. Thats $0.22 for six servings and $0.17 for eight servings, and now you understand why beans are such a vital part of the diet of many cultures around the world.

Conclusion

Beans are a cheap source of protein, and when mixed with a carbohydrate such as rice, they are a complete source of healthy protein. Due to the fact that dried beans are easily stored and are readily available in most countries around the world you can find some form of a bean and rice dish in just about every culture. Here in the United States, particularly along the gulf coast states, red beans and rice has been elevated from a necessary staple to more of a comfort food status as we became more prosperous as a nation.

However, if you are struggling to make ends meet and need to stretch your food dollars, then red beans and rice can be a important part of your menu rotation. It's cheap, east to make and a downright delicious dish that I am sure your family will enjoy. As always, if you have enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends and don't forget to send us a friend request on Facebook and Google+ so that you will not miss out on any of our new articles.

Related Articles On Our Blog:

Beans, Beans The Musical Fruit! An Inexpensive and Healthy Protein Source'.

Homemade 'Ranch Style Beans': Come Get Ya Some!

Additional Resources On The Internet:

United States Department Of Agriculture: Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook:Phytohaemagglutinin. Food and Drug Administration. 2012. Retrieved 20November2015.