Homestyle White Beans

Name: Homestyle White Beans
Ingredients: 1 pound dried white beans; 2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon drippings; 1 smoked sausage or ham hock; 1 onion, chopped; 1 bell pepper, chopped; 1 celery rib, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 9 cups water or broth; Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Makes 4 to 6 servings 1x

Units Scale

Ingredients

1 pound dried white beans
2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon drippings
1 smoked sausage or ham hock
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
9 cups water or broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Soak the beans overnight, or use the quick-soak method.
Heat the oil or drippings in a large pot over medium-high heat and sauté the sausage until sticky, then transfer it to a plate, leaving the sausage fat in the pan. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic and sauté until soft.
Add the soaked beans, thyme, bay leaf, and water or broth. Bring to a boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender and the broth is creamy. Add the sausage at the 1 1/2-hour point. Adjust the seasoning.

TIP: Remember the beans need to be a little salty when you taste them by themselves, because, if they aren’t, when you mix them with the rice, the mixture will taste bland. It’s why I say, “Rice can embarrass you,” when it erases all of your hard work seasoning the beans.

– Cooking from Scratch: A Careful Selection of Useful Recipes