Good Old Red Beans and Rice

RhumAndJerk

Yesterday, I was fortunate to be around the house so that meant that I could actually fire up the Egg and cook something. My first choice was Red Beans and Rice. This qualifies as a very simple dish on the egg. Once I got all of the ingredients in the pot on the stove top, I transferred the cast iron Dutch oven to my Large BGE. I used an indirect set up with the upside down platesetter and some spacers. I also used a nice sized chunk of hickory. For the next five hours, I let the beans cook and smoke at 325. [p]Everything turned out wonderful and I even had enough leftover for lunch today.[p]The best part about a dish like this is that even if you have errands to run, you know that you can leave the BGE unattended and not worry about dinner burning up or the house burning down.[p]Yummm,
RhumAndJerk

mad max beyond eggdome

RhumAndJerk,
what's your recipe... i've tried various packaged stuff, but frankly, and i'm almost ashamed to admit this, our favorite red beans and rice comes from popeye's chicken fast food place. . .[p]i'd love a good, easy recipe. . .[p]thanks[p]max

LOG

mad max beyond eggdome,
Nothing wrong with Popeye's red beans and rice. I love them but also would like to get my own recipe.

mad max beyond eggdome

LOG,
good to hear from you stranger. .. . hope all is well with you. .. .sure do miss your brother as well. .. i guess the circus is keeping you both really busy ) [p]hope you guys are doing well[p]max

LOG

mad max beyond eggdome,
Always reading the board, just do not post too often. All is well with me. The Stump is still dealing with a bad back and is very sick of that. It's hard for him to even get out and cook. He better get better soon it's been 6 months. Good talking to you. Happy Holidays to you and Spawn.
Jeff/LOG

RhumAndJerk

mad max beyond eggdome,
Well, a recipe for red beans and rice is one of those things that changes every time that it is made kind of like Gumbo. [p]That being said, here is how I made it yesterday.
Four tbls of butter
One rib of Celery, chopped
One bunch of green onions, chopped
One yellow onion, chopped
Third pound of Tasso Ham, diced
Third pound Anduolli Sausage, sliced thin in half rounds
One pound red beans, soaked overnight (Note: Not kidney beans)
Bay leaf
Fresh thyme
Fresh Parsley
One tsp Turbindo Sugar
Salt And Pepper
A stiff shot of Cajun Power Herbs and Spices
Eight cups water[p]Two cups Rice
Three and a half cups water[p]I sautéed the veggies in the butter until the onions were soft but not brown, I added the meat and continued to sauté for a couple more minutes. I then added the beans and water and everything else, but the salt and rice and rice and extra water. I put the Dutch oven on the BGE on the inverted platesetter with kiln posts under the pot. I started the egg at 250 ant let the temp climb to 325 while the hickory smoked away. The beans were on for about four hours and were just tender but not falling apart. The consistency was only a little soupy which is how I like them rather than pasty or thickened as I have seen it else were.[p]I made the rice on the stove inside.[p]Hope this helps,
RhumAndJerk

[ul][li]Cajun Power[/ul]

Bordello

RhumAndJerk,
Just wondering, why the spacers??? I recall seeing another post where someone was also using spacers.[p]Thanks,
New Bob

RhumAndJerk

New Bob,
Spacers are more correctly termed Kiln Posts. They are little square pieces of ceramic that allow airflow underneath an object. It is similar to why a Platesetter is called a Platesetter. Kiln Posts and Platesetter are specific terms for Kiln Furniture. Platesetters are used to stack multiple plates in a kiln so that they can be fired. [p]Years ago, someone here on the BGE Forum found Davens Ceramic Center in the Atlanta Area and purchased a platesetter from them to use instead of a pizza stone or firebricks. This stated a chain of events that lead everyone to start using other kiln furniture for egg use. Kiln posts are one such find. The theory is that if you just place a pot or a drip pan directly on a pizza stone or plattesetter you are likely to burn the bottom of whatever you are cooking. But with air flow underneath, I have yet to burn the bottom of anything. This includes pan drippings from a roast for use in gravy.[p]The cost of kiln post is one dollar range and they come in various lengths. They should be something that you can find local to your area. I have a small collection of them and I consider them essential for indirect setups.[p]Hope this helps,
RhumAndJerk[p]
[ul][li]Davens Ceramic Center[/ul]

RhumAndJerk

Page 46 of their catalog.

JimboBQ

RhumAndJerk,
Did you leave the top of the Dutch oven off, or on in the egg? Seems pointless to use the hickory chunk if you leave the top on. I'm gonna try your recipe. Looks great![p]Jimbo[p]

RhumAndJerk

JimboBQ,
Lid off.
Also, I did not add any salt until I was ready to serve the meal. I heard once that cooking the beans is salt water toughens the skin of the bean. That is also why I add a little sugar. Leave the science stuff to Alton, I just cook and eat here.
R&J

mad max beyond eggdome

RhumAndJerk,
the little green feet that come with the BGE work great for this purpose as well. ..i used them to raise my turkey roasting pan just high enough off the plate setter to get the necessary airflow to prevent my drippings from burning. .. good stuff!

Bordello

RhumAndJerk,
Thanks for all the great information and how it got started. I always appreciate learning here on the forum.[p]Thanks again,
New Bob