New Orleans Red Beans & Rice
New Orleans Red Beans & Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound Camilla red beans, dried
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 piece smoked turkey meat, (such as a drumstick or thigh)
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning mix, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Accents seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted sweet cream butter
- as needed fresh water
- as needed rice, cooked, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Wash the Camilla red beans thoroughly. Place them in a large pot and cover with fresh water, ensuring there are at least 2 inches of water above the beans. Let the beans soak overnight (approximately 8-12 hours).
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
The next morning, drain the soaking water from the beans. Add fresh water to the pot, swirl, then drain and rinse the beans again. This helps remove excess starch and gas.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Return the rinsed red beans to the pot. Add enough fresh water to cover the beans by at least 2-3 inches. Add the chopped green bell pepper, celery, yellow onion (the 'Trinity'), and the smoked turkey meat to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Place the lid on the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for about 1 hour. This allows the beans to begin tenderizing and absorb the smoky flavor from the turkey.
⏱️ 60 min
- 5
After 1 hour, carefully remove the smoked turkey meat from the pot using tongs. Check its tenderness; it should be very tender and easily falling apart. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and chop it into smaller pieces. Discard the bone.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Add the chopped smoked turkey meat back into the pot with the beans. Season the mixture with Cajun seasoning mix, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder, Accents seasoning, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Add the bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the beans simmer with the lid off for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until they reach a creamy, thick consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 90 min
- 8
Every 20 minutes during the simmering process, stir the beans. Use a wooden spoon to smash a small amount of the beans against the side of the pot. This helps release starch and thicken the mixture. Add the unsalted sweet cream butter and incorporate it while smashing the beans for extra creaminess.
- 9
Once the beans have reached your desired creamy, thick, and rich consistency, remove and discard the bay leaves from the pot.
- 10
Serve the New Orleans Red Beans & Rice hot over a bed of cooked rice.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
New Orleans Red Beans & Rice
- 1 pound Camilla red beans, dried
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 piece smoked turkey meat, (such as a drumstick or thigh)
- 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning mix, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Accents seasoning, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon unsalted sweet cream butter
- as needed fresh water
- as needed rice, cooked, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Wash the Camilla red beans thoroughly. Place them in a large pot and cover with fresh water, ensuring there are at least 2 inches of water above the beans. Let the beans soak overnight (approximately 8-12 hours).
⏱️ 10 min - 2
The next morning, drain the soaking water from the beans. Add fresh water to the pot, swirl, then drain and rinse the beans again. This helps remove excess starch and gas.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Return the rinsed red beans to the pot. Add enough fresh water to cover the beans by at least 2-3 inches. Add the chopped green bell pepper, celery, yellow onion (the 'Trinity'), and the smoked turkey meat to the pot.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Place the lid on the pot and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for about 1 hour. This allows the beans to begin tenderizing and absorb the smoky flavor from the turkey.
⏱️ 60 min - 5
After 1 hour, carefully remove the smoked turkey meat from the pot using tongs. Check its tenderness; it should be very tender and easily falling apart. Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and chop it into smaller pieces. Discard the bone.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Add the chopped smoked turkey meat back into the pot with the beans. Season the mixture with Cajun seasoning mix, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika powder, Accents seasoning, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Add the bay leaves.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Let the beans simmer with the lid off for another 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until they reach a creamy, thick consistency. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 90 min - 8
Every 20 minutes during the simmering process, stir the beans. Use a wooden spoon to smash a small amount of the beans against the side of the pot. This helps release starch and thicken the mixture. Add the unsalted sweet cream butter and incorporate it while smashing the beans for extra creaminess.
- 9
Once the beans have reached your desired creamy, thick, and rich consistency, remove and discard the bay leaves from the pot.
- 10
Serve the New Orleans Red Beans & Rice hot over a bed of cooked rice.