Red Beans

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 pound dried pinto beans
• 3 tablespoons bacon grease
• 1/4 cup chopped salt lamb
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 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

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 7 hrs 10 mins

Ready Time: 7 hrs 45 mins


• place the pinto beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water. soak beans 15 minutes; drain and rinse.
• heat bacon grease in a large pot over medium-high heat. cook and stir salt lamb in hot grease for 1 minute. add onion, celery, bell pepper, black pepper, and chipotle powder to salt lamb; cook and stir until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes.
• stir smoked sausage, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme into salt lamb mixture; cook and stir until sausage is browned, about 4 minutes. add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
• stir beans into sausage mixture and add enough water to cover the beans. bring to a boil, remove from heat, and transfer beans mixture to a slow cooker.
• cook on high for 1 hour. reduce to low and cook until beans are tender, adding water as necessary, about 6 hours more.
• mash about 1/4 the beans against the side of the slow cooker crock with the back of a heavy spoon. continue cooking on low until beans are tender and creamy, 15 to 20 minutes more. remove bay leaves.