Red Beans and Rice with Ham

Red Beans and Rice with Ham is a delicious dinner that the family will love and help you stay on budget for food costs! Frugal never tasted so good!

Today is cold and snowy here on our little homestead. In and out during the day to tend to the hens or walk the dog can chill you to the bone! Warming foods are in order! Fortunately, I have a ham bone in the freezer and jars of dry beans on the pantry shelves. So today we are going to cook up some beans...

While we do meal plan often what is stocked in the pantry helps in the decision of what to make for dinner. Especially when we have a turn in the weather and we want something a bit heartier! Tonight a pot of these Red Beans and Rice with Ham will be on our dinner table. 

It is evident from the many times I have made reference to a well-stocked pantry, that we use our pantry and root cellar to help keep food costs down. With the recent change in food prices, my pantry and root cellar are a saving grace to keep the food budget on track. And I know that if we are seeing food prices rise, you and your family are as well. When that happens, we eat less meat and more beans...the best part? Beans are good for you, and this pot of Red Beans with Rice and Ham is delicious!

You will find many recipes for beans here at Scratch Made Food! including this much simpler dish of Red Beans with Garlic and Red Wine. We eat and enjoy beans because they are very versatile, still inexpensive. And possibly, as such, they might not get the respect they deserve. But I have a little trick, and here it is...when serving beans always present them with the same pride and attention to detail as you do with any recipe calling for meat...Why?

Because beans are your frugal alternative to meat and take well to meat as a flavoring agent only, not the star attraction. And a delicious bean dish is still the easiest way to offer a hearty dinner full of flavor but low on cost. They are filling, a good source of fiber, and full of minerals that we all need. Plus they do taste great, like this recipe for Red Beans and Rice with Ham! Like any recipe with a depth of flavor, there are a couple of steps, but the flavor is so worth it!

Some thoughts on this recipe:

If you forgot to soak your beans overnight, do a quick soak and proceed. 

Take the time needed to saute the onions and flour together into a rich golden roux. 

You can make the Carrot Rice ahead, and reheat it when needed.

For an easy presentation, use an ice cream scoop for the rice!

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• red beans
• ham bone or ham hocks
• onions
• olive oil
• flour
• green peppers
• bay leaf
• garlic
• red wine
• salt
• pepper
• water
• fresh parsley
• brown rice
• carrots

You will also need the following:

• slow cooker
• saute pan
• kitchen knife
• kitchen spoon
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• tongs
• broiler pan
• medium-sized saucepan with lid
• brown paper bag

Now we are ready to begin!

Red Beans and Rice with Ham 
by the seat of my pants
inspired by:  Beverly's Back Porch (this blog no longer active)

1 pound of red beans, soaked, drained, and rinsed
1 ham bone or 2 hocks
1 large or 2 regular onions, diced
4 - 6 T olive oil
4 T flour
1 -2 red or green pepper, roasted, peeled, and diced
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c red wine
6 or more cups of water
salt 

fresh ground pepper

fresh parsley for serving

Place the green peppers on a broiler pan, and broil until dark golden brown, turning as needed, until the entire pepper has been roasted. 

Place the roasted peppers into the brown paper bag, roll down the top of the bag to close the bag. The peppers will "sweat" in the paper bag and this will make them easier to peel. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 

Dice the onions into 1/2 inch dice. Saute the diced onion in olive oil, starting with 3 T oil. When the onions are beginning to golden, stir in the flour and the remaining oil as needed. Reduce heat to low and saute until the roux is golden and the onions smell like heaven!

Mince the garlic. Peel, and deseed the roasted peppers, then dice, set both aside. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. 

Place the ham bone into the bottom of the crockpot, add the sauteed onions, diced green pepper, drained beans, and all remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are fully cooked. 

Remove ham bone and any large pieces of ham, dice the meat (or shred by hand) and return to the beans. 

Taste broth adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the Carrot Rice.

Carrot Rice, for Red Beans and Rice with Ham.
by the seat of my pants!

1 c brown rice
water to cook per the package (this can vary)
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1/2 t salt

Peel and grate the carrot(s). Place all ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is done. 

Fluff gently with a fork. 

Storage options for Red Beans and Rice with Ham and Carrot Rice. Store separately covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. The beans may be frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. I do not recommend freezing the rice due to a loss of texture when thawed.

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Red Beans and Rice with Ham has been included below. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Red Beans and Rice with Ham 
by the seat of my pants
inspired by:  Beverly's Back Porch (this blog no longer active)

1 pound of red beans, soaked, drained, and rinsed
1 ham bone or 2 hocks
1 large or 2 regular onions, diced
4 - 6 T olive oil
4 T flour
1 -2 red or green pepper, roasted, peeled, and diced
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c red wine
6 or more cups of water
salt 

fresh ground pepper

fresh parsley for serving

Place the green peppers on a broiler pan, and broil until dark golden brown, turning as needed, until the entire pepper has been roasted. 

Place the roasted peppers into the brown paper bag, roll down the top of the bag to close the bag. The peppers will "sweat" in the paper bag and this will make them easier to peel. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 

Dice the onions into 1/2 inch dice. Saute the diced onion in olive oil, starting with 3 T oil. When the onions are beginning to golden, stir in the flour and the remaining oil as needed. Reduce heat to low and saute until the roux is golden and the onions smell like heaven!

Mince the garlic. Peel, and deseed the roasted peppers, then dice, set both aside. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. 

Place the ham bone into the bottom of the crockpot, add the sauteed onions, diced green pepper, drained beans, and all remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are fully cooked. 

Remove ham bone and any large pieces of ham, dice the meat (or shred by hand) and return to the beans. 

Taste broth adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the Carrot Rice.

Carrot Rice, for Red Beans and Rice with Ham.
by the seat of my pants!

1 c brown rice
water to cook per the package (this can vary)
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1/2 t salt

Peel and grate the carrot(s). Place all ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil. 

Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes or until rice is done. 

Fluff gently with a fork. 

Storage options for Red Beans and Rice with Ham and Carrot Rice. Store separately covered in the refrigerator for up to three days. The beans may be frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. I do not recommend freezing the rice due to a loss of texture when thawed. 

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