Red beans and rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans, rinsed and sorted over
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease (or oil)
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 3/4 teaspoons dry thyme
• 1 lb Andouille sausage, halved down middle, not sliced yet
• 1/2 lb ham
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 10 cups water
• 1 tablespoon powdered chicken stock
• Cooked white rice

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the bacon grease over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery and bell peppers to the grease in the pot. Season with the pepper cayenne, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the bay leaves, parsley, thyme, sausage, and ham, and cook to brown the sausage and ham hocks, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the beans and stock or water, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and starting to thicken, about 2-3 hours.
5. Remove from the heat, and remove sausage and bay leaves from pot. With the back of a heavy spoon, mash about 1/2 of the beans against the side of the pot. Slice and re-add sausage.
6. Continue to cook until the beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and remove the bay leaves.