INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound dried red beans
  • 1 1/2 pounds smoked sausage cut into chunks
  • 1 ham hock or ham bone
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sage
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • salt to taste
  • freshly cooked white rice

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Soak beans overnight in cold water. Drain and put the beans in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add fresh water to cover, along with the sausage and ham, onion, garlic, thyme, pepper, sage, and cayenne. Bring to boil over medium high heat.
  2. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until beans are tender, adding more water if necessary to keep them from drying out. This will take 2 to 3 hours. Add salt to taste.
  3. Discard ham bones. Remove about 1/4 cup of beans from mixture and mash; return to Dutch oven and stir. Simmer 15 more minutes.
  4. Serve over hot rice.

Serves 6