Red Beans with Bacon & Kielbasa & Rice

I have so been hungry for Red Beans with bacon & kielbasa.... This is my first attempt to make it from scratch... I usually cheat and doctor up a store bought mix (gasp.. I know...don't tell my family...LOL ) but after researching and looking at my Lousisana cookbooks I thought okay I am making my spin on red beans & rice... I saw some recipes that were completely meatless (umm...not for me thanks I think beans need a little smoky meat flavor) and some that were really spicy...(again I like a little spice but I have small children to feed so that wouldn't work for me, I always say you can add spice but you can't take it away)...so I always have hot sauce and red pepper blend & red pepper flakes on the table to add spiciness to those that like it a little hotter... so that takes me to the vegetables...they were all over the board..peppers (red, yellow, green), onions (green, purple & yellow or white) some added garlic & some didn't (I did)... so mine is a hodpodge of stuff that I like... add what you and your family likes... I used dried red kidney beans (just make sure that before you soak them overnight you check and make sure that their are no stones or rocks in there (my mom always told me to check when you are making beans cause she has found sticks, rocks etc in there from the processing of them good to know mom..thanks :)  also I used a thick slab of bacon and just took the rind off and cut it in  small pieces, but you can use thick sliced bacon cut into pieces, or a couple of smoked ham hocks instead...anything to give it a smoky meaty flavor... In the last 30 minutes of cooking I add a link of sliced pre-cooked Kielbasa and let it simmer.....as for the seasonings.. use what you like..this is just the blend that I liked...Remember to go easy on the salt... Both the bacon & Kielbasa add extra salt... I added extra seasonings then added the Kielbasa & it was way too salty.. I had to add more water to tone it down...  *** NOTE*** I serve this with rice ( I cook mine in stock (broth) to add extra flavor and when it's done I put a tablespoon of butter and an extra pinch of salt to flavor it....but again make it how your family likes it... Add additional water if necessary if the mixture gets too thick and the beans are not tender...I serve this with a big ole piece of cornbread...YUMMY  the house smells amazing when you simmer this for hours... Enjoy

Red Beans with Bacon &  Kielbasa with rice



8-10 cups water (plus up to 2-3 cups more when cooking if mixture gets too thick and beans are not done)
1 package dried red kidney beans, sorted and covered by 2"  with water and soaked overnight, drained
1/2 green pepper, small diced
1 onion, peeled and small diced
1 carrot, peeled and small diced
2 stalks of celery, washed ends removed and small diced
3 cloves of garlic, smashed skins removed
1/3 cup red wine
1 T worchester sauce
3 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup  V-8 vegetable juice
1 T bacon grease
1/2 package thick slab bacon piece,small diced (around a cup worth of meat) or 4-5 slices bacon sliced
1 link pre cooked Kielbasa . thinly sliced
couple of dashes of hot sauce

For Serving:
Cooked rice **see NOTE)
Cornbread  (optional)

seasonings of your choice (I used 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp of cajun seasoning blend, Mrs. Dash, seasoned salt, pinch of salt & pepper, dried parsley flakes)


In large soup pot add all of the ingredients (EXCEPT bacon grease, bacon, & Kielbasa and serving ingredients (rice & cornbread)... Stir well.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  In a saute pan, add bacon grease over medium heat add slab bacon or bacon slices stirring very often until lightly browned and cooked.  Add entire contents of pan to beans (NOTE** stand back the hot bacon into the bean mixture will make the the beans splatter and sizzle but will settle down after a minute).  Stir well to incorporate, turn heat down to medium low  and simmer for a couple of hours until beans are tender.   I usually make the rice now.  Add the Kielbasa and simmer for an additional 30 minutes to let flavors combine.  Taste mixture to adjust any seasonings if necessary. Serve mixture over rice and with cornbread... Enjoy