Stewed Red Beans
Description
This classic stewed red bean dish is a comforting, protein-packed meal that delivers deep, savory flavors through slow simmering. The combination of dried red kidney beans, smoky ham hocks, and spicy kielbasa creates a rich, robust broth. Aromatic vegetables like celery, onions, and bell peppers add freshness, while garlic, thyme, oregano, and a touch of Tabasco provide warmth and complexity. Perfect for cold evenings or hearty lunches, this dish improves with time as the flavors meld together.Directions
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Rinse the dried red kidney beans in a colander under cold running water, discarding any pebbles or broken beans.
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Soak the beans in cold water to cover overnight, or bring them to a boil and let them sit, covered, for 1 hour.
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Drain the soaked beans.
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Place the beans and ham hocks in a large pot with 2 quarts of water.
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Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour.
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Remove the ham hocks from the pot and set aside to cool; drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid if desired.
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Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the ham hocks, discarding the skin and bones.
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Slice the kielbasa or smoked sausage into rounds.
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Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.
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Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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In the same skillet, add the chopped celery, onions, green bell pepper, and garlic.
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Sauté the vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
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Return the drained beans to a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
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Add the sausage, sautéed vegetables, reserved ham meat, bay leaves, salt, white pepper, thyme, oregano, and Tabasco.
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Add 6 cups of water (or reserved cooking liquid) to the pot.
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Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
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Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring frequently, especially towards the end to prevent sticking.
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Discard the bay leaves before serving.
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Serve the stewed red beans hot.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 2 quarts
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 296.0kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8.7g14%
- Saturated Fat 2.4g12%
- Cholesterol 30.0mg10%
- Sodium 49.7mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 44.1g15%
- Dietary Fiber 14.6g59%
- Sugars 2.6g
- Protein 18.5g37%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.