This makes about 16 to 20 servings so feel free to halve the ingredient amounts.
What you’ll need as far as ingredients:
- 2 lb. of dry Red Kidney Beans
- 4 t. of Garlic Salt
- 2 t. Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 T. Picante Sauce or Pepper Sauce (I use Tapatio)
- 2 Quarts of Water
- 1 lb. fully cooked Ham (Diced)
- 1 lb. fully cooked Kielbasa (Sliced)
- 2 C. Red Onion (chopped)
- 1 C. Celery (chopped)
- 6 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 1 15oz can of Tomato Sauce
- 4 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 C. Fresh Parsley (minced)
- 1 t. Salt
- 1 t. Lemon Pepper
- Hot Cooked rice
Tools you’ll need:
- A large skillet or pan
- A Large Dutch Oven
- A Colander
- Things with which to cut, stir, and measure.
Let’s get right into it. The first thing you’re going to do is put your beans into your dutch oven and fill it with water until the beans are covered by two inches. Now, you can soak it over night to ensure that the beans are soft enough in the end or you can just do the quick method described here. Heat the water to boiling and boil the beans for two minutes, remove from heat, then cover and let stand for 1 hour. Drain the beans through your colander and discard the liquid. Put the beans back in your dutch oven and add the Garlic Salt, Worcestershire Sauce, Picante Sauce, and Water. Bring the contents to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 and 1/2 hours.
While you are waiting this 1.5 hours you have some stuff to do. Firstly you’re going to saute the ham and kielbasa in your skillet until they are lightly browned. Then, with a slotted spoon, you’re going to remove the meat from the skillet and put it in the beans that are simmering on the stove.
Next, saute the Red Onions, Garlic, and Celery in the drippings of the meat until they are tender.
You’ve added the meat to the beans. Now, remove 2 C. worth of the contents and put them in a container.
You are going to mash up this 2 C. worth until you have broken most of the beans down and add it back into the rest of the beans.
Then you are going to take the sautéed Onions, Garlic, and Celery that you set aside and you’re going to add it into the beans and meat in the dutch oven. Then, add in the tomato sauce and the bay leaves. Cover this and let it simmer for about 30-45 minutes or until the beans are tender.
After the beans have become tender, stir in the Salt, Lemon Pepper, and Parsley.
Once this is done turn off the heat and let it cool for a bit. It is ready to serve over rice right away but for all the times I’ve done it it has been better after a day of just being in the fridge while all the flavors get to know one another. Also, as mentioned before, this is about 16-20 servings so feel free to make less or do what I do and freeze a lot of it. It unthaws and is just as tasty as it was after a day in the fridge. Serve over hot cooked rice and enjoy.
I was going to discuss what kind of beers should go with this meal. Your dark ales or your brown ales. But, the night I made this I tried a new beer with it and it was the last beer I will ever put next to this meal. Kona Brewing Company’s own Koko Brown. Just trust me on this one and buy their summer seasonal pack and drink that with this. Enjoy…