Red Beans & Rice - Crockpot Style

http://www.realcajunrecipes.com/recipes/cajun/beans-rice-crock-pot-style/142.rcr

Red Beans and Rice Crock-pot Style Main Dishes & Casseroles Submitted by Maw Maw Becky Kaplan, LA on Saturday, May 25, 2002

Makes: 8 servings Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: not available Ready In: 25 minutes Working and fixing something for dinner can be a problem. Using the crock pot enables you to cook a hearty dinner without much fuss. Ingredients 1 pound red kidney beans 1 large onion chopped 1 bell pepper chopped 1 clove garlic minced 2 pounds smoked sausage cut in 1/2 inch pieces 1 bay leaf 1 pork hambone optional salt to taste red pepper or cayenne to taste black pepper to taste water to cover beans cooked rice Directions Wash beans. Add in the crock-pot, the washed beans, onions, bell pepper, garlic, hambone, and bay leaf. Pour enough water in the crock-pot so that the water is 2 to 3 inches above the beans. Turn the crock-pot on low and cook overnight or 10 hours or during the day while at work. Do not peak or uncover. Early the next morning or returning from work, check and see if the water has been reduced. If further reduction of water is needed and generally it is needed, turn the cooker on high. Smash some of the beans to thicken and cook one or two more hours; adding the smoked sausage in the last half hour of cooking. Remove bay leaf and season to taste with salt and pepper. Or pour the entire mixture from the crock pot to a large heavy duty pot or black cast iron pot. Smash some of the beans to thicken the gravy. Cook to reduce the water and thicken the gravy. When the gravy is almost the consistency you want, add the smoked sausage, salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf. Cook for 30 minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy.