Makes 6 to 8 servings. This New Orleans–style red beans and rice recipe is uniquely flavored with a touch of smoked salt and ground beef. On many a Sunday, my great-aunt Ilene’s stovetop has been covered with huge pots of rice, beans, and greens, enough to feed fifty hungry souls. I love the extra flavor that the ground beef adds to this otherwise classic bean recipe.
1 pound ground beef
1 (7-ounce) smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
¼ cup very finely chopped yellow onion
½ celery rib, very finely chopped
¼ cup very finely chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups beef stock, divided
1 (1-pound) package dried red kidney beans, rinsed, drained, and soaked overnight
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon smoked salt
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
8 cups cooked long-grain white rice
Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Place the ground beef in a Dutch oven or large pot and cook over medium-high heat until browned, using a spoon to break up the meat as it cooks. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate. Discard the fat. Add the sliced sausage to the pan and cook over medium to medium-high heat until the meat is done and the fat has been rendered. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery, and green pepper and cook until the vegetables are translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Return the ground beef to the pan. Add 4 cups of the beef stock, beans, bay leaves, thyme, smoked salt, sea salt, black pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 2 ½ hours, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as needed to keep the beans covered. Cook until the beans are tender. Serve warm over rice. Garnish with chives.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.