Red Beans and Rice

Hi, it’s Jay! This is my tried-and-true red beans and rice recipe for FITE. I’ve been making this for years. It’s quite popular and very cheap compared to some other meals. (The beans, rice, onions, and celery were around $15 at Wal-Mart as of 11/24/2023.) Thank you for cooking!

You will need:

• A large metal pot with a lid (mine is 12in in diameter and 10in tall — about 4.9 gallons)
• A long spoon
• A large rice cooker (ideal), a smaller rice cooker, OR a pot to cook rice on the stove
• A crock pot OR an oven-safe pot and an oven to keep the rice warm after cooking
• A sharp knife
• A cutting board

Ingredients

• 4 lbs dry red beans
• 16 cups (1 gallon) water
• ~15 rice cooker cups or ~10 regular cups of uncooked rice (get a 5 lb bag)
• However much water you need to cook the rice, idk
• 4 white or yellow onions
• 2 stalks celery
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• Some olive oil (maybe ~3 tbsp)
• 4 bay leaves
• 8 tbsp parsley
• 8 tsp salt
• 4 tsp pepper
• ¾ tsp cayenne pepper

Steps

Chop the onions, celery, and garlic the night before. Put them in a container and keep them in the fridge overnight. Soak the beans overnight in the large pot, covered. In the morning, drain the beans and keep them in another container to the side. In the large pot, on low heat, sauté the onions, celery, and garlic in the olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add the beans, gallon of water, and spices. If you don’t plan on crushing the beans, you may need less water. Stir. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, bring it down to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for at least three (ideally four) hours, stirring and scraping the bottom every 20 minutes or so. I like to crush the beans against the side of the pot for a creamier texture, but this is optional. Around two hours before you need to leave, start making the rice. I like to use a big rice cooker, but you can also use a small rice cooker or a pot on the stove. Once each batch of rice is done, put it somewhere where it can stay warm, like a crock pot or the oven. Serving tips: The typical serving size for the rice is ½ cup. The typical serving size for the beans is a ladle full, which is maybe ¾ cup or a bit more. When you transport the pot(s) in your car, secure the lid with masking tape so it doesn’t fall off.