Cajun Red Beans and Rice
6-8 Servings
Ingredients:
1 pound (about 2 1/3 cups) red kidney or small red beans
1 Tbsp bacon drippings or oil
1 pound smoked or andouille (Cajun style) sausage, sliced in 1/2" coins
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup diced green or red bell pepper
3/4 cup diced celery
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups water or chicken broth
1 - 2 smoked ham hocks (optional but really adds great flavour)
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning (like Zatarain’s or Tony Chachere’s, not Old Bay)
2 bay leaves
Directions:
Rinse and pick over the beans. Discard any blemished beans or pebbles. Set rinsed beans aside. An overnight presoak is not necessary, but if you prefer to, you can - just reduce the pressure cook time to 20 minutes with a full natural release.
Press Saute and when the display says HOT add the bacon drippings or oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the sliced sausage and saute until browned on both sides. Remove sausage to a paper towel-lined plate and cover loosely with foil. Drain all but about 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pot. If your sausage is very lean, add a little extra butter or oil. Now add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Deglaze the pot by adding about a cup of chicken broth or water and make sure the bottom is scraped well and all the brown bits are loosened. Now add the ham hocks (if using) and the rest of the broth. Stir in all the spices, bay leaves, and the drained beans. Add the cooked sausage back to the pot now or save until the end. A firmer sausage will hold up but a softer one may not.
Press Cancel and quickly close the pot. Make sure the valve is set to Sealing. Push Pressure Cook (or Manual) and use the + and - buttons to get to 40 minutes. When it beeps that it's done, leave it alone for a 20-minute natural release. Then press Cancel, flip the valve to Venting and when the pin drops, open the pot. Test a few beans for doneness (some beans may have floated and need a little longer). If the beans are not soft enough, give them a stir and cook for an additional 20 minutes at high pressure and 20 minutes natural release. Remove and discard the bay leaves, remove the ham hocks, shred the meat with a fork then add it back to the pot along with the reserved sausage. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or Cajun seasoning as desired. To thicken the bean liquid, turn on Saute and allow the beans to boil rapidly for 7 - 10 minutes, stirring often. Keep in mind the liquid will thicken more as it cools.
Serve over hot cooked rice. Click the link below for the rice recipe.