Ozarks 'redneck' Red Beans & Rice

"I think of redneck cooking as convenience cooking, or Ozarks cooking...things like kettle corn, anything having to do with spam,velveeta, squirrel and rabbit meat, just down-home folksy things. I grew up on a farm, so we cooked things like blackberry cobbler, rabbit and dumplings, fried squirrel, fresh-caught fried bass, sausage from freshly-slaughtered pigs made into gravy (to die for), and lots of white beans and ham with cornbread." Valorie Paul

• 1/2 pound red beans, dry
• 5 cups homemade chicken stock
• 1 smallish ham shank
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 smoked sausage links or keilbasa
• 1 or 2 bay leaves
• Red, black, and white pepper to taste
• Salt to taste

METHOD

Soak beans overnight.

Drain beans and place into crock pot with 2-3 cups chicken stock and ham hock.

Heat butter in medium sauté pan. Over medium heat, sauté onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic in butter until barely softened, about 10 minutes.

Add onion mixture to beans. Put in sausage. Season with red, black and white pepper.

Cook all day on low. When done, remove a few spoonfuls of beans, mash well, and return to crock to thicken mixture. Add salt, and adjust seasoning to taste.

Use remaining 2 cups chicken stock to make 4 helpings of white minute rice according to package instructions.

Serve beans over hot rice with garlic toast or French bread and applesauce.

Serves: 4

recipe from www.inmamaskitchen.com

Contributor: Valorie Paul

 

top of page