Ingredients

• 1 lb Camellia Brand red kidney beans
• Holy Trinity, chopped
  • 0.5 c onion,
  • 0.5 c celery
  • 0.5 c green bell pepper
• 1-2 garlic gloves, minced
• 2 lb ham hocks or other smoked meat (e.g., smoked turkey wings or legs)
• 1 lb andouille sausage
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp Creole seasoning
• 2 tsp chicken base
• 2 dried bay leaves
• smoked paprika
• ground black pepper
• garlic powder

Directions

1. Soak the beans: Add dry beans to a large bowl and cover with cool water. Refrigerate and soak for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Mise en place:
   • Cut andouille into rounds
   • Chop onion, celery, and green bell pepper
   • Mince garlic cloves
   • Add chicken base to hottest tap water, stir (optional if using chicken broth)
3. Brown sausage: Sauté sausage sliced into rounds in a large, heavy-bottom pot on medium heat until brown, set aside
4. Sauté vegetables: Add 2 tbsp of a neutral oil to the pot and sauté onion, celery, and bell pepper until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
5. Assemble: Drain and rinse beans. Add them to the pot along with 6-8 cups of water and chicken base (or broth), sausage, ham hocks, Creole seasoning, and dried seasonings to taste. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, skimming and discarding any foam that rises to the top.
6. Simmer: Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for at least 1-2 hours, checking every 15 minutes and adding water if needed.
7. Finish: Once the desired softness and consistency has been reached, remove the bay leaves. Smash a few of the beans against the side of the pot, stir, and add butter. Stir and remove from heat. Serve with fresh white rice and enjoy.

Notes

1. To cut down on time, add the ingredients to an instant pot following step 4, reducing the water added by half. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes and release the pressure. Remove the lid and set on sauté mode to reduce the liquid to desired consistency. Proceed with step 7.

2. I recommend using a heavy bottom pot. I use aluminum, like a Magnalite, or my Staub dutch oven.