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Satchmo's Red Beans and Rice

We adapted this from "Pop's Favorite Dish" that we came across via the WWOZ website. Our main difference is that we completely re-wrote the instructions to be much easier to follow, but we did also add more veggies and decrease the ham hocks slightly due to what was available.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Beans Soaking Overnight12 hours
CourseAnytime, Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
CuisineCajun, Creole, New Orleans
Keywordbeans, better the next day

Equipment

  • large heavy-bottomed pot

Ingredients

  • 1 lb dry kidney beans
  • 4 ham hocks 715g jarret du porc, avec les os
  • 2 cups onions, finely diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely diced ~1 cup
  • 2 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 dried red peppers, seeds removed
  • 1/2 lb salt pork (or pork belly) ~225g poitrine du pork, fumée
  • 1 small can of tomato sauce
  • ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

Serving

  • hot, cooked long grain white rice
  • Crystal hot sauce our optional addition
  • chopped green onions our optional addition

Instructions

  • Wash beans and soak overnight in cold water, covered. Louis likes to say this step is required to "take the whistle out of them."
  • Put the ham hocks in a large pot, add water until covered, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 90 minutes, adding water as needed to keep them covered.
  • Meanwhile, chop the onions, pepper, garlic and salt pork.
  • When the ham hocks are ready, pour off both the cooking water of the ham hocks and the the soaking water of the beans, and combine the ham hocks and beans in one large pot. Add salt pork and fresh water until the the pork and beans are covered. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and cook for 90 minutes.
  • Add the onions, green pepper, garlic and dried peppers, tomato and ½ tsp of salt to start. Bring to a boil on high, reduce to a simmer, and cook 90 mins more (3 hrs if you are Louis), adding water to keep mixture covered in liquid and never dry.
  • Taste and adjust salt. You might be tempted to add other spices, but try to refrain and do it Satchmo’s way.
  • Serve with piping hot long grain white rice, maybe some Crystal hot sauce, and definitely some Satchmo on the speakers.

Notes

When cooked, 1lb dry kidney beans yields 6 cups / 2.5-3lbs / 37.5oz / 1063g .
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