Ingredients (~6 servings)
- 1 lb dried red kidney beans
- 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
- 1 smoked ham shank
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 large bell pepper, chopped
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups steamed white rice
Sort and Parboil the Beans
Sort through the beans and remove any stones or weird-looking beans – there’s always a few.
Rinse them in a colander until the water runs clear.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the beans. Boil for 10 minutes exactly.
This step softens the skins and helps them cook more evenly in the slow cooker.
Drain and rinse the beans again, then dump them into your slow cooker.
Add Everything Else and Let It Go
Add the sausage, ham shank, chopped vegetables, and all the seasonings to the slow cooker.
Pour in the chicken broth and give everything a good stir.
The liquid should just barely cover everything – if it doesn’t, add a bit more broth or water.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
Check for Doneness and Serve
The beans should be tender but not mushy when you poke them with a fork.
The ham shank meat will fall off the bone – pull it out and shred any big chunks, then stir it back in.
Give the whole pot a stir and taste for salt – you’ll probably need to add more.
Serve over steamed white rice with about 1 cup of the bean mixture per serving.
The leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and actually taste better the next day.
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
~6 servings
- 1 lb dried red kidney beans
- 1 lb smoked sausage sliced
- 1 smoked ham shank
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 1 large bell pepper chopped
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups steamed white rice
Instructions
- Sort beans, removing stones and rinsing thoroughly.
- Parboil beans in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain and transfer to slow cooker.
- Add sliced sausage, ham shank, chopped vegetables, seasonings, and chicken broth.
- Stir ingredients and ensure liquid just covers contents.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Check bean tenderness with fork and shred ham shank meat.
- Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve over steamed white rice.
