Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried small red beans, rinsed and sorted
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 4 ribs celery, chopped
• 7 oz. smoked boneless pork chops, diced into ½-inch cubes
• 12 ounces andouille sausage, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into ½” thick slices, I use chicken sausage
• 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 4 c. cooked rice

Instructions

1. 1. Rinse and sort beans. Soak in water overnight. (Place beans in a large pot, and cover with at least two inches of water.)
   2. The next morning, drain the soaked beans. Rinse the beans, and rinse the pot they were soaked in. Now, put the rinsed beans back in that same pot, and cover with 1-2 inches of water.
   3. Bring pot of beans to a full boil. Continue boiling for at least 10 or up to 30 minutes. (Meanwhile, chop the rest of the ingredients.)
   4. After boiling, drain beans one last time.

1. Place pre-boiled beans and all other ingredients except cooked rice in the slow cooker.
2. Add about 7 cups of water, enough to cover contents with about an inch of water. Stir, cover, and cook on high 6 hours or low 8 hours.
3. About an hour before serving, use a potato masher to mash at least half of the beans, stir, and cook on high an hour longer. (This step is what gives the creamy texture.)
4. Before serving, taste beans and add additional salt and cayenne to taste. Remove bay leaves, and ladle beans into bowls over cooked rice.