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Louisiana Monday White Beans

A South Louisiana staple — creamy white beans simmered with smoked ham hock, sausage, and served with rice, fried fish, and cornbread
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Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs dry white beans soaked for a few hours
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup celery diced
  • 4 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp rubbed sage
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 smoked ham hock
  • 3 32-oz containers chicken broth
  • 2 lbs smoked or andouille sausage sliced
  • 4 tbsp liquid boil
  • 4 tbsp butter

Method
 

  1. Rinse and soak your white beans in cool water for a few hours before cooking. This helps them cook evenly and gives them that creamy, tender texture.
  2. In a large heavy pot, melt your butter over medium heat. Add your onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic (your Cajun Trinity). Sauté until fragrant and translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Add in three containers of chicken broth, your soaked beans, and all your dry seasonings: Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, sage, thyme, bay leaves, and liquid boil. Nestle your smoked ham hock right into the pot.
  4. Bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are soft and creamy and the ham hock is falling apart. As your beans cook down and the broth thickens, add more broth or water as needed to keep that perfect creamy consistency.
  5. While the beans are simmering, brown your sliced sausage in a skillet. Keep all those drippings — that's liquid gold for flavor.
  6. Once the beans are tender and creamy, stir in your browned sausage and all the drippings from the pan. Let it cook together another 45 minutes to an hour so the flavors really marry together.
  7. Serve hot over white rice, with a side of fried fish and cornbread. Creamy, smoky, and full of flavor — that's what a true Louisiana Monday meal tastes like.