Red Beans and Rice

Another recipe courtesy of Alton Brown - this one is healthy and delicious.  Its flavors improve significantly after cooking - it's actually best if you make it, store it in the fridge for 2 days, then reheat and serve.  Not that it's bad right out of the pot...

If you don't want to make homemade pickled pork to go in your beans you can use a pound of andouille sausage instead, but it won't be as good  :)  Technically you can also use bacon but if you're going to go that route, I prefer the sweet smokiness of the Baked Bean.

Hardware:
Large dutch oven or stock pot
knife and cutting board

Software:
1 lb red beans, rinsed and picked over for rocks
2 quarts (8 cups) water
2 large bell peppers, seeded and cored, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
12 -16 ounces homemade pickled pork (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce (or similar)
additional salt and black pepper to taste

Add a splash of vegetable oil to your pot and place over medium-high heat.  Add the celery, onion, bell pepper and salt and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and cover.  Cook covered for 90 minutes or until the beans are tender, then continue cooking uncovered until desired consistency is reached.  You can use a potato masher or immersion blender to help speed along this process. 

Serve over warm white rice with extra tabasco sauce for those who like it hot.

Homemade Pickled Pork (shockingly easy)

Hardware:
saucepan
zip top bag
plastic bin for containment

Software
1-2 lbs pork shoulder (aka boston butt) cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups water
1 cup apple cider vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mustard seed
2 tablespoons tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon celery seed
dozen black peppercorns


Bring all ingredients except the pork to a boil in your saucepan.  Kill the heat and add ~2 cups ice.  Once cooled, place your pork shoulder in the zip-top bag and pour the pickling solution over it.  Press as much air as possible out of the bag and close.  Store in the refrigerator (turning occasionally) for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 2 weeks (after that, you can drain off the solution and freeze it)