Red Beans and Rice in an Instant Pot

This is my first time to ever use an instant pot...and I have to say "I am in LOVE" 

It's so easy to prep and clean!!! I decided that my first meal that I would prepare in an instant pot would be red beans and rice because it usually takes me over 4 hours on the stove and 8 hours in a crockpot. And to be honest...with this weather in Louisiana...this momma is not standing in front of no stove for 2 hours much less 4!! 

Shopping List: 

1 pound red beans

1 pound of baby pork spareribs (cut into little pieces) 

4 pieces of pig feet 

1 pound pickled pork 

1/2 bell pepper diced 

4 stalks celery chopped 

1 small onion chopped 

3 bay leaf 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon onion powder 

1/2 teaspoon Tony Chacheres (Cajun seasoning) 

1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper 

1/2 teaspoon sugar 

1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 

Pack of spicy sausage (I cook this separately because we don't like our sausage mushy) 

Water 

Tabasco (garlic flavor) 

White rice 

1 stick butter 

****CHEATING METHOD: 1 small can of blue runner red beans (I pour that in after everything is cook and when I am mushing the red beans against the side of the pot. 

Garnish: 

Parsley 

Green onion chopped 

Direction: 

In a little pot I filled it up with water and place my cut spareribs and pig feet in and blanch over to get all the gunk out. Once the pot start boiling I blanch through. Next,  I wash it with just regular tap water and then I place it on top of the red beans that is already in the instant pot. 

*** I pour my bag of red beans on the bottom. Then the blanch meat. Then the pickle pork. Next, I lay all my veggies in top. Cover with just enough water to cover everything. Next I pour all my seasoning on top. 

Close the lid and turn on to the "beans/chilli" setting but I adjust the time to 1 hour. 

Next, I pour in a small can of blue runner red beans into my pot. Taking a small spoon or ladle...I smooch the beans against the pot to make it more creamy. Then I add 1 stick of unsalted butter into the hot red beans. 

Season according to taste. I used a pickle pork so I didn't need to add that much salt or Tony Chacheres 

                 Ready to be turned on 

I added the cubed ham..right before serving because my husband likes the ham intact and not all cook down. 

Season with more Tabasco (because we love spicy) and garnish with chopped parsley. 

Spicy Sausage cooked separately          in a little frying pan 

ENJOY!! 

I think the only thing I would change next time is I might add the ham and butter and then turn it on for another 5-10 minutes so the ham would be a little softer. 

Crockpot Red Beans and Rice

This week has been one of those crazy busy week so ....I took out my trusty crockpot and have been using it religiously for the past few days.  It was suppose to rain today but it didn't :( ....so I thought I would make some comfort food.

Ingredients:
2 lb red beans---I didn't soak this time since I was gonna use the crockpot but usually when I make it on the stove I would soak the beans over night.
14 Cups of water (make sure that the water cover the beans)

1 large bell pepper--chopped
4 stalk celery--chopped
1 large onion--chopped

1 TBS garlic powder

1 TBS onion powder
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaf

1 stick butter--add this last right before I serve


MEATS:
1 lb pickle pork
2 lb hot links
2 lb  cubed salted ham

Garnish:
green onion
parsley
Tabasco sauce ;)



Direction:
I pour the red beans into my crockpot...picking out all the broken ones or funny looking ones ;)
then I rinse with water once and pour that water out. Next I pour enough water to cover my beans and add my diced celery, onion, bell pepper. Then I would add all my spices...garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, crushed red pepper, ground pepper, worcestershire sauce and BAY LEAF.

I dont add any salt until the end because most times my pickle pork and salted cubed ham is salty enough that I don't have to add any salt.

Then I add my pickle pork and cubed ham and COVER and turn on my crockpot ...set it to 8 hrs on low.

If I am home and about half way through I usually stir it around a little so the flavor can incorporate a little. THEN I ADD MY HOT SAUSAGE LINKS---I CUT THEM INTO 3 in PIECES and throw it in. I DONT like to cook it in there at the beginning because it will break up. Then about 7 hrs into my cooking I would take a wooden spoon and take some beans and smash  it against the crockpot so that it can make it a little creamy.

I like to cook my sausage in a pan then just add it on top of my red beans and rice when I am eating it so I cook it separately. I LOVE the Hillshire Farm brand. I usually buy 1 regular and 1 spicy because my kids don't like it too spicy.


When your ready to eat...add the 1 stick of butter in the crockpot and stir around ...this makes a huge difference!!!  Then taste to see if you need to add more salt or seasoning to your red beans.

Serve over white rice and garnish with some sliced parsley and green onions. If you like it SPICY..add some TABASCO sauce. I find that its spicy enough for my family because of the HOT LINKS and the spicy sausage


ENJOY!!!

I like to cook my sausage separately so that I can taste the flavor. 

We love adding HOT LINKS to our red beans and rice...gives it TONS of flavor. 

 Pickle pork pack that I used.. I don't use ham hock :)