New Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice

Ingredients

Directions

1. 1

   Rinse beans (optional: soak overnight or for several hours prior to cooking, in order to avoid possible gas effects that sometimes result when eating beans).

2. 2

   After rinsing, place the beans in the stock pot and fill 3/4 full of water. (The water will reduce as the beans cook). Bring to a boil.

3. 3

   After the water comes to a boil, saute chopped onions and garlic in approximately 2 tablespoon of margarine, then add it to the beans. Lower heat to med-high and cook for approximately one hour.

4. 4

   Add remaining seasoning, including seasoning salt, (optional) salt, pepper, parsley flakes, and bay leaves. Cook for another hour on med-high. Throughout cooking, add boiling water (and additional seasoning) to the pot, if the liquid reduces too much. Stir occasionally.

5. 5

   Next -- this is the "magical step" -- add 1 stick of butter and cook for another hour on med-high, stirring occasionally. Watch the heat and adjust accordingly to avoid scorching your beans.

6. 6

   Heat the ham and smoke sausage pieces in the microwave and add to the pot of beans. I like to heat the meat, so that my beans will continue cooking at its current temperature.

7. 7

   Continue to cook on medium to medium-low, as the beans thicken. Stir occasionally. NOTE: I stay pretty close to my pot when cooking beans, so I can make sure they don't begin to stick.

8. 8

   Serve over rice -- perhaps, add a piece of cornbread and ENJOY!