Louisiana Slow Simmered Red Beans And Rice Recipe

1 cup dry red kidney beans
5 cups fresh water (to soak beans)
4 cups fresh water (to cook beans)
1 ham bone (ham hock)
2 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
2 cups white rice
1 cup water

Put the dry red kidney beans and the 5 cups of water in a glass bowl and place in refrigerator overnight.

The next day, drain the beans and put them in a large soup pot with 4 cups of fresh water, add the remaining ingredients EXCEPT the rice.

Put over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot with lid, and simmer slowly until beans are just about tender, 1 hour should do it.

When beans are ready, add the rice and 1 cup of water to the beans, stir, turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover pot with lid, and simmer until the rice is cooked and liquid has absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove ham bone, (add any good meat back into the pot), stir again, then taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve hot.

Will serve 6 to 8.