How to Make White Beans

We made White Beans and Andouille Sausage during the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav.  Not even 100 mile an hour winds that devastated the power to most of South Louisiana would stop Cajun Cooking TV from eating as normal.

Right before the storm, I cooked a big pot of Seafood Gumbo and a big pot of Spaghetti Sauce.  We froze meal size containers and were able to eat on that for several days.  Many Cajun recipes are great for cooking up large pot-fulls and freezing for later dinners.

For several days after the storm there were no stores open.  Many people were relying on FEMA and Red Cross for MRE’s and prepared meals.  Thank God we were able to purchase a generator and had gas stored up.  We were able to run the refrigerator, fans, microwave and other small electrics.

About day 5 or 6, we heard a sound like a policeman talking over their loudspeaker.  We didn’t know what it was.  Then we saw a sight we thought we’d never see.  A Red Cross truck was coming through the neighborhood passing out meals.  It made us sad to see such a large metropolitan city reduced to needing Red Cross assistance.  It’s like something you only see on TV in third world countries.

Happily as power began to be restored around the city, grocery stores began to open with limited items for purchase.  I was so thankful that Whole Foods opened and had all the necessities available.  We got fresh Andouille Sausage and were able to make a pot of White Beans by running the slow cooker on the generator all night.

We made rice out on a Coleman Camp Stove outside on the patio.  Since it was too dark to video at the time, we made White Beans again just for you.  I hope it’s a long time before we are out of power for 14 days again.  Enjoy!

Ingredients for White Beans and Andouille Sausage

1  (1-pound) package Large White Beans (aka Great Northerns)
1 pound sausage of your choice (we used 5 links of freshly made Andouille sausage)
2 cups Cajun Trinity (chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s Creole Seasoning) to taste
Tabasco sauce
1 cup long grain rice
Oil
Slow Cooker
Frying pan   

First you should soak the white beans overnight in a large bowl.  Cover the beans with water leaving room for expansion.

Ready to cook

Heat the slow cooker on high heat. 

Drain the water from the beans and then pour beans into the slow cooker. 

Sauté the Cajun Trinity in a small amount of oil or cooking spray. 

(My husband Mike just tosses the trinity in the with the beans without sauteing.)

Slice the sausage into 1 inch pieces and fry in a pan until brown. 

(We actually grilled the Andouille sausage the night before while we had a hot grill from grilling a steak.)

Mix all ingredients together into slow cooker. 

Add 4-5 cups of water to cover the mixture. 

Add about ½ teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (like Tony’s Creole Seasoning) and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce.  Mix well.

Cover and let the slow cooker do its job for 4-6-8 hrs. 

Since each slow cooker is different, feel free to add small amounts of water if needed after a few hours.  You don’t want it to get too dry.

Beans are ready when soft and creamy gravy is created. 

If your gravy is not thick enough (and it usually isn’t), take a large spoonful of beans out, put them in a bowl and smash them. Then add them back to the pot and stir them in. This should thicken your gravy. In a few minutes if you think your gravy is still not thick enough, repeat this process.

Make a pot of rice (1 cup rice, 2 cups water and simmer 20 minutes).

Serving Suggestions for White Beans and Andouille Sausage

Serve White Beans and Andouille sausage over rice in a deep plate and is accompanied well with Jiffy cornbread muffins.  Now that’s some good country cooking if I do say so myself.