# Cajun Red Beans & Rice ~ Foamheart



## foamheart (Mar 28, 2018)

I put this here not knowing were else for it to go. It has Homemade Bacon, Homemade Andouille & Homemade Cajun Sausages. That is about as pork a s you can get! In Louisiana red beans & rice is the luncheon special on Monday's every place food is served! I have heard loads of stories about why. I then to believe the one involving Monday wash days. Clothes in the long ago day were washed next to a water source (away for the house), involving only a fire and a rope. Women supposedly would tote a pot, a handfull of beans and some seasoning meat with them when she went. And they would bring home supper and a stack of clean clothes. <shrugs> Sounds good to me.

Lets talk beans they are red kidney beans, same thing some Yankees put in chili. We eat a lot of beans in Louisiana white, navy, red, black, lima, butter, blackeye'd peas, pinto's etc etc......
BUT red beans and rice is always the Monday special!

Whats in red beans and rice, I assume you can put anything, what I'll show is what I do and its to my knowledge the old Cajun way.

OK< here's everything but the pot and water you'll need my way.








Veggie side is the trinity, Onions, Bell Pepper, and Celery in a 2/1/1 ratio. Herbs and spices Bay leaf (I am loving my fresh), Thin Sliced garlic, Italian flatleaf Parsley.







Meat, any  pickled or cured smoked meat. A fellow in New Iberia got me doing this. He smokes a bunch and when he cooks red beans he spares no expense and he usually is cooking for a huge jambalaya pot full. He uses Bacon trim, Andouille, and Cajun sausage. He will have two or three different types of Cajun sausage also. Mine is just Bacon trim, cajun sausage and andouille. Thats also some home grown red peppers.







There is no roux involved! Soften the onions and garlic.







Add the meat back and lets some of that rendered fat help those onions along.







Once its all happy, add the water.... about a quart in this one. I let it cook down some then until its ready for some more water.







Let it cook down a few then add the veggies, spices and herbs.








There it is again...... ypppers, let it cook down some. It take a total of about 2 to 4 hours. you justy never know with beans, they'll tell you when they are ready. Don't forget to cook your rice. Personally I believe that anything to be place over rice needs Medium grain, if its cooked with rice, its long grain.







See how its thickened? At this point I add a little salt. Thats it. I was always told that with beans salt early will make them tuff. I don't know its true but I also keep boiling water on the stove top to refill the bean pot. Its just how it is supposed to be done. LOL

Just a salad and corn bread needed now.







Thats a skillet of sweet cornbread going in the oven. I have several recipes but this sweet one I worked on myself and really like. I have it broken down into 3 different sizes. A 6" cast iron skillet, a bisquet pan size & a large square cast iron skillet.

AND now the Bear View!







Red beans and rice, salad & cornbread. Only thing missing is a bottle of tabasco for the hard cores and a glass of sweet ice tea.

The only spice added to this was a pinch of salt. Nothing else is ever needed when prepared right. Love me some seasoning meats!

Thats it hope you enjoy it like I will......LOL


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## motocrash (Mar 28, 2018)

Oh My! Great looking meal,I'm in;)


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## pc farmer (Mar 28, 2018)

That looks like a fantastic meal.  Thanks for the details.


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## Braz (Mar 28, 2018)

We love red beans & rice. We work off a recipe from a long ago friend who allegedly got it from a Louisiana friend of hers. Not much different than yours and we use whatever meat is handy, usually a mix of sausage, a bit of bacon and some pulled pork. Takes a good bit of time to do it right. We prefer Louisiana Hot Sauce over Tabasco though.


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## radio (Mar 28, 2018)

Mouth is watering!!!!  If it tastes half as good as it looks, it was out of the park!!!
The last batch I fixed, I took the casings off some Boudin and fried it to mix in with the beans and rice.  Dadgum that was good!


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## indaswamp (Mar 28, 2018)

Y.U.M.!!!!
I absolutely LOVE red beans and rice!!! Great write up Foam....I'll add that the love of red beans and rice cuts across all social economic backgrounds. Everyone loves 'em!


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## chopsaw (Mar 28, 2018)

That looks fantastic , and like the story that goes with it . One of my favorites .


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## Phil Chart (Mar 28, 2018)

I love red beans and rice your meal looks fantastic. No need for sweet tea for me  just strait up no sweetener for me lol. Once again awesome job wish I could taste it


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## tbrtt1 (Mar 28, 2018)

Half my family is from New Orleans ( the other half is cajun, mostly) and the NO half is where the whole extended family learned to cook red beans. We all use pretty much the same recipe which is similar to yours. Not a lot of ingredients but the two main things we always make sure of is we use Camellia dried red kidney beans and some sort of fatty meat or leftover ham. Oh, and a bay leaf or two. The fat from the meat makes them creamy (at least that is our humble pseudoscientific opinion). Any relative that lives out of state and can’t get camellia red beans, we ship to them. We won’t use anything else. 

 I think the Monday washday story is fairly well documented. Ham was, and to some degree still is, a popular Sunday meal.  It was common to take the leftover ham, bone and all, and throw it in the pot with the beans while the wash was being done. Several hours later: dinner is ready. 

I absolutely love red beans so much that I think if I had to choose a last meal before my execution, red beans and rice would be it.   Thanks for the post foamy.  I haven’t seen anyone post red beans here but I don’t get on here as much as I like. Yours looks yummy!


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## foamheart (Mar 28, 2018)

c farmer said:


> That looks like a fantastic meal.  Thanks for the details.



There is a reason they can serve this once a week every week in Louisiana ...... Its like a hamburger to normal people....LOL  You know I told the story about the Monday wash day, another of the stories involves WWII. They used to call it meatless Monday due to rationing during the war. BUt I think it was going on far before WWII.



motocrash said:


> Oh My! Great looking meal,I'm in;)



Thank you, its Louisiana comfort food. I have seen fancy restaurants present it a lot fancier but its still just red beans and rice.


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## foamheart (Mar 28, 2018)

radio said:


> Mouth is watering!!!!  If it tastes half as good as it looks, it was out of the park!!!
> The last batch I fixed, I took the casings off some Boudin and fried it to mix in with the beans and rice.  Dadgum that was good!



Thank  you. You may have started something new! Red beans & rice  w/ boudin!



Braz said:


> We love red beans & rice. We work off a recipe from a long ago friend who allegedly got it from a Louisiana friend of hers. Not much different than yours and we use whatever meat is handy, usually a mix of sausage, a bit of bacon and some pulled pork. Takes a good bit of time to do it right. We prefer Louisiana Hot Sauce over Tabasco though.



Louisiana hot sauce, Texas Pete, Tabasco, etc.... Its all depends on what you were brought up with. Some are hotter, some more vinegar, its pretty basically what was on your kitchen table. I am Tabasco, no matter how great a gumbo is its always better with Tabasco. LOL


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## indaswamp (Mar 28, 2018)

Now I gotta make a pot of red beans....LOL!


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## foamheart (Mar 28, 2018)

chopsaw said:


> That looks fantastic , and like the story that goes with it . One of my favorites .



Louisiana has this love affair with beans, if its not red beans it white beans & rice (you usually get fried seafood with them). Cured hocks w/ Navy beans. Pinto beans with sow belly, etc etc etc.....



indaswamp said:


> Y.U.M.!!!!
> I absolutely LOVE red beans and rice!!! Great write up Foam....I'll add that the love of red beans and rice cuts across all social economic backgrounds. Everyone loves 'em!



Thank you, but all I did was take pictures of something really simple.


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## foamheart (Mar 28, 2018)

tbrtt1 said:


> Half my family is from New Orleans ( the other half is cajun, mostly) and the NO half is where the whole extended family learned to cook red beans. We all use pretty much the same recipe which is similar to yours. Not a lot of ingredients but the two main things we always make sure of is we use Camellia dried red kidney beans and some sort of fatty meat or leftover ham. Oh, and a bay leaf or two. The fat from the meat makes them creamy (at least that is our humble pseudoscientific opinion). Any relative that lives out of state and can’t get camellia red beans, we ship to them. We won’t use anything else.
> 
> I think the Monday washday story is fairly well documented. Ham was, and to some degree still is, a popular Sunday meal.  It was common to take the leftover ham, bone and all, and throw it in the pot with the beans while the wash was being done. Several hours later: dinner is ready.
> 
> I absolutely love red beans so much that I think if I had to choose a last meal before my execution, red beans and rice would be it.   Thanks for the post foamy.  I haven’t seen anyone post red beans here but I don’t get on here as much as I like. Yours looks yummy!



Thanks. They are so simple, and I don't think now what you could mess 'em up... well maybe burn 'em.



Phil Chart said:


> I love red beans and rice your meal looks fantastic. No need for sweet tea for me  just strait up no sweetener for me lol. Once again awesome job wish I could taste it



Thank you. Thats OK, we'll let ya slide on the tea this time.


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## weev (Mar 28, 2018)

Looks good. Did you use dried beans in yours


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## indaswamp (Mar 28, 2018)

weev said:


> Looks good. Did you use dried beans in yours


Yea weev, he used camelia beans....pic. of the bag is in the first picture...


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## redheelerdog (Mar 28, 2018)

Even a dang Yankee will say that looks damn good! ;)


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## indaswamp (Mar 28, 2018)

For weev...






Pretty much the official red beans of the state of Louisiana.....I have tried others, they just do not taste the same.


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## myownidaho (Mar 28, 2018)

Lovely stuff, Foamy. Thanks for the step by step.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

weev said:


> Looks good. Did you use dried beans in yours



Thanks, and yeppers there is the bag of red beans in the first picture with the 2 plates of ingredients.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

redheelerdog said:


> Even a dang Yankee will say that looks damn good! ;)



Its pretty hard to not make good beans of any type. When I was a kid we ate beans at least once a week, but since Mom and Pop were from West Texas we got a lot of pintos! Pintos are easily grown in those dry sandy cotton fields. Now my aunt taught me about snap pinto beans. Those are delicious! Yankee's taught me about Navy beans while I was in the service. Soooo creamy and cooked with ham chunks... hard to beat those!


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

myownidaho said:


> Lovely stuff, Foamy. Thanks for the step by step.



Thank you, beans are always good. I have made a bunch of beans at the camp. Coulda had steaks, gator, frog legs, venison, fish, and thing we wanted and beans always seemed to come up. Something about bean cooked over an open fire. Throw in some cold beer and corn bread and everyone starts telling lies! <Chuckles>


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## SmokinAl (Mar 29, 2018)

Man o man Kevin!
That is a delicious looking meal!
Very nicely done & congrats on getting a ride on the carousel!
Al


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## mosparky (Mar 29, 2018)

Looks great, Foamy ! Just what I need, one more thing on the to do list that only I can or will eat. The she-beast has a variety of gut issues and the kids don't care much for beans (sometimes I question if we are related). At least they will all do some serious damage to the cornbread, so there's that.


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## bdskelly (Mar 29, 2018)

A thing of beauty. Nice post Kev. B


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## HalfSmoked (Mar 29, 2018)

Awesome for sure I have never meet a bean I didn't like. So many ways to prepare the many kinds of beans but for sure this at the top of the list.

Warren


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

mosparky said:


> Looks great, Foamy ! Just what I need, one more thing on the to do list that only I can or will eat. The she-beast has a variety of gut issues and the kids don't care much for beans (sometimes I question if we are related). At least they will all do some serious damage to the cornbread, so there's that.



Thank you. You know a country boy by that corn bread. <Chuckles> You've no idea how much corn beard I have crumbled in a tall glass of sweet milk for dessert.



SmokinAl said:


> Man o man Kevin!
> That is a delicious looking meal!
> Very nicely done & congrats on getting a ride on the carousel!
> Al



Thanks Al, and Thanks Al.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> Awesome for sure I have never meet a bean I didn't like. So many ways to prepare the many kinds of beans but for sure this at the top of the list.
> Warren



Thank you sir..... hard to go wrong with beans.



bdskelly said:


> A thing of beauty. Nice post Kev. B



Thanks Brian, ya know, I always get tickled thinking about the beans in Blazing Saddles w/ Mungo or Jerry Lewis in the Army at some point while cooking 'em. So they are a mood altering drug !


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## mosparky (Mar 29, 2018)

No interest in cornbread and sweet milk. Dad got me hooked on cornbread in a glass of buttermilk as a child. It disgusts the she-beast, but I love it.


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## tbrtt1 (Mar 29, 2018)

foamheart said:


> Thanks. They are so simple, and I don't think now what you could mess 'em up... well maybe burn 'em.
> 
> Yep, burning them is the only danger. And I have done it being in a hurry.


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## bluewhisper (Mar 29, 2018)

Very nice! I recently cooked up a mix of red and black beans with a little bit of tomato sauce. Then I added some leftover country style ribs which were baked with some bbq sauce.

The Cubans have what they call "Moros y Cristianos" Moors and Christians, black beans with a side of white rice.

My pantry has an entire shelf dedicated to dry beans, also split peas and usually some lentils.

As for that wash day story, it reminds me of a North African tradition where you go down to the public bath for the afternoon, bringing a pot of beans, and while you're bathing the beans are cooking in the oven that heats the bath. Then you go home with your dinner cooked.


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## weev (Mar 29, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> Yea weev, he used camelia beans....pic. of the bag is in the first picture...


Sorry I didn't notice them


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

mosparky said:


> No interest in cornbread and sweet milk. Dad got me hooked on cornbread in a glass of buttermilk as a child. It disgusts the she-beast, but I love it.



I am sitting here laughing. Pop always wanted buttermilk. I have got to agree with your bride, I love to cook with buttermilk, but I don't want to drink it. Why do the put due dates on the carton. Seriously does it taste different after 3 months in the reefer? It doesn't smell different...LOL


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

bluewhisper said:


> Very nice! I recently cooked up a mix of red and black beans with a little bit of tomato sauce. Then I added some leftover country style ribs which were baked with some bbq sauce.
> 
> The Cubans have what they call "Moros y Cristianos" Moors and Christians, black beans with a side of white rice.
> 
> ...



Red beans black beans and ribs...... I love 'em all they'd have to be good together. Multi-tasking at its finest.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

weev said:


> Sorry I didn't notice them



Sorry I didn't mean it condescending, heck I didn't even notice it had already been answered twice before me. This is one place where questions are never taken badly. Its why we are here. To learn and share. Anyway if I made you feel that way, I apologize. Its hard to see folks reactions in a computer screen.


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## indaswamp (Mar 29, 2018)

weev said:


> Sorry I didn't notice them


Hope you didn't take my post the wrong way, I was just answering your question. Then I though that most people outside of Louisiana would not recognize the packaging so I found a large google image of Camellia red beans for ya. I was just trying to help Kevin out....


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## tropics (Mar 29, 2018)

Kevin Thank You my neighbors are from Porto Rico,they will love this they make something similar Points
Richie
If you are into the Super Hot Peppers I can send you some S.Carolina Reaper seeds PM me if you do


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## bluewhisper (Mar 29, 2018)

Hey tropics, you might want to check out the C2C Pepper Forum.


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## weev (Mar 29, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> Hope you didn't take my post the wrong way, I was just answering your question. Then I though that most people outside of Louisiana would not recognize the packaging so I found a large google image of Camellia red beans for ya. I was just trying to help Kevin out....


No not at all thanks for answering  most times I'm on my phone and don't always notice things I saw the plates but didn't recognize the bag 

I do have another question though   
Foam said it takes 2-4 hours to cook but I thought dried beans had to soak overnight?


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## indaswamp (Mar 29, 2018)

weev said:


> No not at all thanks for answering  most times I'm on my phone and don't always notice things I saw the plates but didn't recognize the bag
> 
> I do have another question though
> Foam said it takes 2-4 hours to cook but I thought dried beans had to soak overnight?


If you soak over night, the cook time will be shorter, yes. But red beans here are cooked until they are creamy (usually anyways)...
My Aunt likes to mash some of the beans with a spoon to make the beans creamy...it's just how they are cooked in New Orleans. If time is a constraint, I recommend these:







As authentic as it gets from a can. Made right here in my home town. Every time I pass by the canning factory and the wind is just right, I can smell the red beans cooking. Makes me crave red beans! LOL! You can order them from online cajun grocers...
I just fry up a little onion, add seasoning meats, then dump the can(s) in the pot and simmer for 15~20 minutes. Done! Cook some rice, top with a little hot sauce...yum!


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

tropics said:


> Kevin Thank You my neighbors are from Porto Rico,they will love this they make something similar Points
> Richie
> If you are into the Super Hot Peppers I can send you some S.Carolina Reaper seeds PM me if you do



Every culture has some kind of bean dish. Make 'em some red beans and see what they think. Not many will use all the cured meat types I did, generally its just a little of one type. But I find the three in combination is great!

Oh no, I am not a hot food person. I like the hide on my tongue.....LOL  But thanks for the offer.



indaswamp said:


> Hope you didn't take my post the wrong way, I was just answering your question. Then I though that most people outside of Louisiana would not recognize the packaging so I found a large google image of Camellia red beans for ya. I was just trying to help Kevin out....



Everything is fine I am sure.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

weev said:


> No not at all thanks for answering  most times I'm on my phone and don't always notice things I saw the plates but didn't recognize the bag
> 
> I do have another question though
> Foam said it takes 2-4 hours to cook but I thought dried beans had to soak overnight?



Two things really affect the time beans cook, that is why I say 2 to 4 hours. You'll realize both immediately, the altitude where you live. You know the higher  up in the clouds you are the longer it takes with everything. Secondly, its the age of the beans. The longer they have been around the longer it takes to cook 'em and you never know their age. Thats why in Louisiana everyone fancy's Camillas. That way its a constant rotation. Every grocery has their own brand and they might have been packaged back during WWII.

There is an old trick that seems to turn up sometimes at the camp...... Some folks use beans to blind bake a pastry crust (pie crust). Once those beans have been baked I don't believe you'll ever get them tender again no matter how long you boil 'em.. LOL

My Mom swore religiously about soaking beans (her big bean was pinto), I quit doing it because I found that with fresher beans they ferment sometimes. If I leave beans soaking overnite you can sometimes see the small bubbles in the water and smell the ferment the next day (sometimes). I believe that the fermentation is dependent upon the age of the dried beans, which you never know. Fermented beans have a taste to them. And the pot that ferments is always the one you don't think about checking...... so I just don't do it anymore.


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## mosparky (Mar 29, 2018)

On the buttermilk...It will separate but I never tried to do anything other than pour it out after the date. It comes out of the container in water and lumps. This even after I shook the heck out of it before pouring.
 I might have to try the canned route. I seldom have the time to cook from dry. Gonna pick up some dry just to have around in case the opportunity presents itself. The she-beast has a business trip in a month or so and I will be UN-SUPERVISED !! Yee-Haaa !! Maybe I need to get some Tasso underway to have at the ready.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

mosparky said:


> On the buttermilk...It will separate but I never tried to do anything other than pour it out after the date. It comes out of the container in water and lumps. This even after I shook the heck out of it before pouring.
> I might have to try the canned route. I seldom have the time to cook from dry. Gonna pick up some dry just to have around in case the opportunity presents itself. The she-beast has a business trip in a month or so and I will be UN-SUPERVISED !! Yee-Haaa !! Maybe I need to get some Tasso underway to have at the ready.



You know now that you mention it, in my special box of goodies I have a container of powdered buttermilk. I bought it long ago because someone told me it was an acceptable way to make unfermented, fermented sausage. <shrugs> I have some pepperoni spice I bought without thinking, I wonder how that would work. But Pepperoni is on the hard side of the fermented scale.


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## indaswamp (Mar 29, 2018)

Got my fix of red beans tonight....went visit a cousin and his wife had it on the stove and I ended up staying for supper.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> Got my fix of red beans tonight....went visit a cousin and his wife had it on the stove and I ended up staying for supper.



Once ya get something from the boards in ya head there is only one way to get it out.


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## indaswamp (Mar 29, 2018)

LOL!!! That's no lie!!!!


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## indaswamp (Mar 29, 2018)

BTW, she cooked 'em in one of those new fangled Insta pots....dry beans were done in 1.5 hours....super tender and creamy too....


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## mosparky (Mar 29, 2018)

Not sure I got the nerve to cook'em in the pressure cooker, digital or otherwise. Mom had a mis-hap when I was a kid. Nobody hurt but what a mess. I had no idea whole beans could fit thru that itty-bitty hole. She'll be 94 this years and still remembers it oh so well !
 Still the time savings makes it tempting.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

mosparky said:


> Not sure I got the nerve to cook'em in the pressure cooker, digital or otherwise. Mom had a mis-hap when I was a kid. Nobody hurt but what a mess. I had no idea whole beans could fit thru that itty-bitty hole. She'll be 94 this years and still remembers it oh so well !
> Still the time savings makes it tempting.



LOL... my Mom did that when I was a kid too. Fulla green beans and blow out the blow out plug. little bity metal plug thru the ceiling.  We found green beans for months...>LOL  Listen I have used pressure cooker for beans, I have used a crock pot over night. Its not the same as cooking them. I see three layers instead of two, and extra sweet thin liqueur that I don't get when regular cooking. I'll blame it on no stirring.


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## foamheart (Mar 29, 2018)

Case really seemed to like his instant pot.


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## bluewhisper (Mar 30, 2018)

I still have my mother's old pressure cooker but I haven't used it. I should take it out for a run and get the hang of it.


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## indaswamp (Mar 30, 2018)

bluewhisper said:


> I still have my mother's old pressure cooker but I haven't used it. I should take it out for a run and get the hang of it.


Wish I could locate my Mom's old one.....


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## HalfSmoked (Mar 30, 2018)

Hey Blue you want to make sure the gaskets are good.

Warren


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## crazymoon (Mar 31, 2018)

Foam ,Excellent post (as always) and a fine looking meal! like


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## foamheart (Mar 31, 2018)

crazymoon said:


> Foam ,Excellent post (as always) and a fine looking meal! like



Thank you. Thank you.

Gonna have to wait till tomorrow for the big unveiling. Then I'll cut the ham we'll see how the inside turned out. I am kind of nervous about it. I have only done one other ham, it was a picnic it was OK but was over cured and over smoked. That ham was 4 years ago. I think this is going to be a great ham. But since its set in the reefer for a week since it was smoked the outside is pretty dang dry harded but since I believe I am going to cook it now in the oven (its already cold smoked) I am hoping the outside layer will re-saturate. I kep saying I'll glaze it, I have glazed other pork and like it. Especially when I rub it good with ancho. really earthy pepper heat countered by a sweet glaze is amazing. But afraid I might ruin that wonderful smokey smell....LOL Either way, its gonna be a surprise to me and the family.

BTW I wish you and your family a great Easter, and may you catch the prize egg from the Easter Beagle!


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## johnmeyer (Mar 31, 2018)

I'm a Yankee who has never been to Louisiana, so I have two strikes against me before I ever ask my question. And, my question is this: are the Camellia "kidney beans" (which is what I saw in the pic that was posted) the same as the kidney beans I get locally (central California, in my case)?

I've made several red beans and rice recipes in the past, and the writeup that accompanied the recipe made a big deal about _not _using kidney beans, but instead make sure to use "red beans," with the Camellia brand being the best thing of all.

The reason for asking is seeing the words "kidney beans" on the package in that picture rather than "red beans." I am now a confused Yankee, and no one wants that.

P.S. When I can eat solid food again in a few days, I am definitely making this. Thanks for the recipe!!


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## indaswamp (Mar 31, 2018)

Here ya go john...
http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_red_beans_and_red_kidney_beans


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## indaswamp (Mar 31, 2018)

I had to go check. 

Blue runner has sold canned red beans for a long time and just recently started selling dried. Here is the package:






The package says red beans, but they are in fact red kidney beans. Might be a certain cultivar being used...I do not know. What you DON'T want are the dark dark red kidney beans, you want the lighter colored ones that are slightly smaller.


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## HalfSmoked (Mar 31, 2018)

Nice catch there Johnmeyer them southern boys try to be confusing sometimes just to confuse the Yankees. :D

Warren


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## chopsaw (Mar 31, 2018)

HalfSmoked said:


> Nice catch there Johnmeyer them southern boys try to be confusing sometimes just to confuse the Yankees. :D
> 
> Warren


Well it's working.  I'm more confused now than I was before he asked .


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## foamheart (Mar 31, 2018)

I used lots of pictures thinking it would help. <Chuckles>


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## johnmeyer (Mar 31, 2018)

Thanks to everyone for those replies. One way or the other, I'll find some true red beans the next time I make this.


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## mike5051 (Mar 31, 2018)

Great beans Foam!  I'm slowly catching up here, been working way too much lately.

Mike


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## indaswamp (Apr 1, 2018)

johnmeyer said:


> Thanks to everyone for those replies. One way or the other, I'll find some true red beans the next time I make this.


If you want, send me your address and I'll mail you a bag of Camellia beans. Or you can purchase them from Cajun Grocer online....
https://www.cajungrocer.com/camellia-red-kidneys-4.html


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## johnmeyer (Apr 1, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> If you want, send me your address and I'll mail you a bag of Camellia beans. Or you can purchase them from Cajun Grocer online....
> https://www.cajungrocer.com/camellia-red-kidneys-4.html


Wow, that is an amazingly generous offer. I wouldn't ask you to do that, but I'll either get them at either the Cajun Grocer place you linked to (which looks very interesting) or Amazon. Amazon's price is higher, but the price shown is for two pounds, not one, and includes shipping:

Camellia Beans via Amazon

I'd rather give the business to the local operator, so when the time comes, I'll poke around their site and see what sort of hot sauces they have.


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## ab canuck (Apr 1, 2018)

Great looking and sounding meal!!!
I am on my way there...... I will be picking some of those beans up to try at home!!!! 
 Congrats on the carousel ride......


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## foamheart (Apr 2, 2018)

mike5051 said:


> Great beans Foam!  I'm slowly catching up here, been working way too much lately.
> 
> Mike



Thanks Mike.

Remember Mike, you can't take it with you.  Nice to see ya still cruising around.


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## foamheart (Apr 2, 2018)

ab canuck said:


> Great looking and sounding meal!!!
> I am on my way there...... I will be picking some of those beans up to try at home!!!!
> Congrats on the carousel ride......



Thanks Charlie. 

I think good beans are important but having the andouille, bacon trim & cajun sausage to throw in the pot...... Ya know the only spice I added was a pinch of salt! That is really unusual for me and it was delicious with out any of the normal seasoning I would have used. The real secret is the bay leaves only coonazz use them


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## mike5051 (Apr 2, 2018)

foamheart said:


> Thanks Mike.
> 
> Remember Mike, you can't take it with you.  Nice to see ya still cruising around.



That's right Kevin!  I heard today that you never see Brinks trucks following the hearse!

Mike


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## foamheart (Apr 2, 2018)

mike5051 said:


> That's right Kevin!  I heard today that you never see Brinks trucks following the hearse!
> 
> Mike



In my case it will be a dozen Waste Disposal trucks with their lights on.....


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## mike5051 (Apr 2, 2018)

foamheart said:


> In my case it will be a dozen Waste Disposal trucks with their lights on.....


LOL!  You made me spit beer on the monitor!  :p

Mike


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## HalfSmoked (Apr 3, 2018)

Hey no Brinks or Trash trucks here probably the Sewage Tank cleaning truck.   :D

Warren


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## Will Jones (Apr 4, 2018)

"If you want, send me your address and I'll mail you a bag of Camellia beans. Or you can purchase them from Cajun Grocer online....
https://www.cajungrocer.com/camellia-red-kidneys-4.html"

Ah yes the new guy here is very familiar with Cajun Grocer.  My "go to" place for all things cajun.  I love to make red beans and rice and Cajun Grocer has a great recipe for "Red Beans and Rice - My Way".

From my time spent in Louisiana, I can tell you those folks know how to cook and how to party but they can't build a road worth a damn.  Damn near tore up my 5th wheel going over bridges in south Louisiana.


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## indaswamp (Apr 4, 2018)

Will Jones said:


> but they can't build a road worth a damn.


It's the sediment that Louisiana is built on-no bedrock like up north. That combined with the heat is hard on roads.


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## bluewhisper (Apr 4, 2018)

Oh yeah

https://www.cajungrocer.com/pepper-sauce.html


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## bluewhisper (Apr 4, 2018)

indaswamp said:


> It's the sediment that Louisiana is built on-no bedrock like up north. That combined with the heat is hard on roads.



In geology class they said the whole Mississippi delta is sediment and the weight of it all is making the ground sink. But that sediment is no longer being replenished due to reservoir construction upstream. That's why parts of New Orleans are lower than the river, and part of the reason why the delta is washing away.

One geology professor described stepping out of a bar with a buzz and looking up at the lights of ships passing by.


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Apr 14, 2018)

That looks phenomenal Foam, thanks for the detailed post!


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## mosparky (May 20, 2018)

I couldn't take it anymore. Got a pot started this afternoon. Man, I think I need a longer day to do this. I had to improvise a bit. Powdered garlic, ground cayenne, and ground bay. Meats are 8 oz bacon (store bought) 14 oz andouile and maybe 12 oz leftover ham steaks. It's gonna be meaty for sure. I think I got a bit too much water and now have to wait forever for it to reduce. Smell is great, but sampling the pot liquor is a culinary nirvana. I'll do it again just for the pot liquor.
 Do you cook it all the way down to achive the creamy paste consistancy or do you strain it off and serve ?


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## foamheart (May 20, 2018)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> That looks phenomenal Foam, thanks for the detailed post!



LOL... wow its computer lag.....LOL

Thanks a lot.


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## foamheart (May 20, 2018)

mosparky said:


> I couldn't take it anymore. Got a pot started this afternoon. Man, I think I need a longer day to do this. I had to improvise a bit. Powdered garlic, ground cayenne, and ground bay. Meats are 8 oz bacon (store bought) 14 oz andouile and maybe 12 oz leftover ham steaks. It's gonna be meaty for sure. I think I got a bit too much water and now have to wait forever for it to reduce. Smell is great, but sampling the pot liquor is a culinary nirvana. I'll do it again just for the pot liquor.
> Do you cook it all the way down to achive the creamy paste consistancy or do you strain it off and serve ?



OK, I recommend you allow some of the beans to just cook away (a wrapped butt is never as good as one allow to go thru the stall), but........ 

I know folks who will actually squish some of the beans against the side of the pot. 

I assume you could do like we do with white beans, when the beans are done add about 2 large Tbps of lard to the pot and let it meld down. It will cause the liquid the slightly thicken and become a little creamy. BUT when ya add the lard it will sizably slow the evaporation process.


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## mosparky (May 20, 2018)

No No, Don't want to cheat the system. I got so much fat from bacon and andouille I don't want more or pay the price for adding more. I mash the white beans to make bean soup, but this ain't bean soup. With your assurance I will just be patient and simmer away. And make a mental note to go easy on water and add as needed. I honestly thought the beans would soak up more.


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## foamheart (May 20, 2018)

Beans are like smoking & baking, they are a labor of patience.


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## ksblazer (May 26, 2018)

After reading this thread earlier this week.  I decided to make up a batch of red bean soup with andoulie sausage and ham today.

Turned out really well. Much better than my first attempt with a different recipe I had used.

Left out enough for another 2 meal's and froze the rest.


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## bdskelly (May 26, 2018)

Follow Kev and you won’t mess up your southern cooking. Search his gumbo and Chili. B


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## ksblazer (May 27, 2018)

Cajun, Creole and BBQ are my favorite eats. Not sure why it's not more popular than it is up here in the northwest. Restaurants open up, but don't seem to be able to stay in business very long? 

So I'm learning to make my own. Recipes from this forum and the cookbooks I got have really helped me out. If it wasn't for that I would be quiet clueless. 

Nothing better than showing up at a pot luck with some good BBQ or Cajun food and getting compliments about it.


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