MONDAY RED BEANS AND RICE

MONDAY RED BEANS AND RICE…

1 lb Camilla kidney beans (soaked overnight in the fridge covered then drained)
3/4 qt chicken stock
1/2 stick real butter
5 cups water (can add more if needed)
1.5 lbs smoked meat (cubed ham, Tasso, sausage, smoked turkey necks, etc. or combination)
1 tbsp all purpose Cajun seasoning-
I used “Hal the cajun lady accent” Cajun waltz seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp of chicken bouillon base powder
1 large onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 stalks celery diced
1-2 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp liquid crab boil
1-2 diced jalepenos if you want (or halves)
1 or 2 bay leaves (remove at end)
Rice to serve with. Cornbread to serve with.
Optional:
Pack it onion soup mix
Pinch of thyme, basil, rosemary, smoked paprika.

Soak beans overnight. Drain.
Dice onions, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeño if you have one.
Melt 1/4 a stick of butter in a pot. Cook down the vegetables that you diced for about 15 minutes. Add garlic- 3 more minutes. Add in your choice of meat and cook that for another 15 minutes.
Add in beans, liquids, seasonings, bouillon powder, bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower to low heat, cover.
Simmer on low for 4-5 hours stirring every 30 minutes to make sure it’s not sticking.
Remove some of the beans into a bowl and mash them down with a fork to make a bean paste, or use the potato masher to mash them down in the pot. Add another 1/4 stick of butter. Stir well. If you need more liquid, you can add it. if you don’t, you can cover and continue to cook for an hour. If it’s too runny for your taste, leave it uncovered. Stir occasionally. Remove bay leaves. Serve over rice with cornbread.

(I doubled this to make a large pot- this is a single recipe.) (Hal’s seasoning was perfect/ I did not add one drop of salt or pepper) ❤️