TODAY Food Club

A hearty dish loaded with smoky flavor that cooks cooks all day and freezes very well.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red kidney beans, washed and soaked overnight
• 1 ½ pounds polish sausage, cut in bite size pieces
• 2 smoked ham hocks
• ½ cup onion, diced
• ½ cup celery, diced
• ½ cup green bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon oregano (dried)
• 1 teaspoon thyme (dried)
• Dash cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup white or brown rice.

Preparation

1. Rinse red beans, soak overnight in a large bowl with enough water to cover plus 2".
2. Heat butter and olive oil to brown sausage. Remove from pot. (Use a slow cooker that has a sauté feature)
3. Add peppers, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté until just tender.
4. Add spices and herbs, stir.
5. Add drained and rinsed beans and browned sausage.
6. Add tomato sauce and 8-10 cups water, stir.
7. Rinse ham hocks and add to cooker.
8. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
9. Remove ham hocks, pick meat from bones and return to cooker. Discard all bones and fat.
10. Cook one cup rice according to package instructions.

Recipe Tags

• Slow cooker
• American
• Entree