Easy Red Beans and Rice with Sausage

Ingredients

• 1 pound red kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound cooked chicken andouille sausage (cut into 1/2-inch chunks)
• 1 large onion (finely chopped)
• 1 green bell pepper (stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped)
• 4 ribs celery (finely chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon ground sage
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• Smoked turkey parts (necks, wings, butt)
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2-3 bay leaves
• Cooked white rice (for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Place beans in a pot of salted cold water (add a few tbsp of kosher salt and let dissolve) and cover. Set aside at room temperature overnight. Drain and rinse

2. 2

   In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage to a napkin covered bowl and let drain.

3. 3

   Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to the pot cooking in the rendered sausage grease. Add additional vegetable oil if needed.

4. 4

   Season as you go with salt, pepper and paprika cooking and stirring, until vegetables have softened, about 4-5 minutes.

5. 5

   Add garlic and cook, stirring for about a minute.

6. 6

   Add cayenne, sage, black pepper and more paprika. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

7. 7

   Add sausage, beans, smoked turkey, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and enough water to cover by about 2 inches Bring to a boil and reduce to a bare simmer. Cover and cook until beans are completely tender about 3 hours. Check every 1/2 hour after the first two hours for tenderness. After an hour of cooking add more seasoning (paprika, salt, pepper)

8. 8

   Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened and turned creamy, about 30 minutes.

9. 9

   If beans start to look dry before they’re done, then add water and continue simmering. Discard bay leaves and thyme stems. Serve red beans over steamed white rice.