Spicy Cajun Red Bean Dish

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried pinto beans
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease
• ¼ cup chopped salt pork
• 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
• ¾ cup chopped celery
• ¾ cup chopped green bell pepper
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch chipotle chile powder
• ½ pound smoked sausage, split in half and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
• water as needed

Step 1

Put the pinto beans in a large bowl and cover them with a few inches of cool water. Let them soak for about 15 minutes, then drain and rinse well.

Step 2

Heat some bacon grease in a big pot over medium-high heat. Toss in the salt pork and cook it for about a minute, stirring as it browns. Add the chopped onion, celery, bell pepper, black pepper, and chipotle powder to the pot. Cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are nice and soft—around 4 minutes.

Step 3

Now, stir in the smoked sausage, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme. Keep cooking and stirring until the sausage is nicely browned, which should take about 4 minutes. Add the garlic last and cook it just until you can smell that wonderful aroma, about a minute more.

Step 4

Pour the beans into the pot with the sausage mixture and add enough water to just cover everything. Bring it to a boil, then take the pot off the heat and transfer the whole mixture into your slow cooker.

Step 5

Set the slow cooker to High and cook for an hour. After that, turn it down to Low and let it go for about 6 more hours, checking occasionally and adding a bit more water if it looks dry.

Step 6

Once the beans are tender, use the back of a heavy spoon to mash about a quarter of them against the side of the slow cooker. This will give the dish a nice creamy texture. Let it cook on Low for another 15 to 20 minutes or so until everything is thick and creamy.

Step 7

Finally, fish out the bay leaves before serving. Enjoy!