Thanks Okie. :thumb: I don't do a lot of cooking and I don't know of any recipe that I follow religously. I use them as a guide and add & subtract as necessary. Couple of questions. #1 Looks like you cook the rice separately, correct?? #2 Do you typically have to add corn starch or another thickening agent near the end?
rice is seperate. the beans will thicken some on their own. i take some out, mash them up, then stir them back in at the same time i add the sausage. that will thicken it sufficiently. maybe a 1/2 cup to a cup? i cant remember. either that or i just take a potato masher and mash some up directly in the pot then stir them to incorporate them into the broth. ive never tried rice in the crock pot. i cook it in the microwave and get a great texture. fast and easy that way.
mine is similar: soak beans overnight sautee' veggies. throw everything but sausage in the crock pot--garlic, onions, celery, bayleaf, bellpepper, hambone/bacon fat/whatever, salt, pepper, beans etc. you can brown the sausage and set aside but use the fat from that as well and add to crock pot. cover the beans by a few inches of water. cover, let cook on low all day or overnight. dont stir often-- keep it covered to maintain the heat. only do so if you need to add water along the way. after cooking about 9 hrs add sausage and cook another hr. then I dump all contents in a cast iron pot, mash the beans down with a big spoon then cook to desired consistency while adding water and seasoning as needed probably for another 15 mins. get out tabasco and your white rice. (no-go on rice in the crock pot.) after belly is full, smoke bay leaf.
Thanks Okie and pharpe. I like my red beans & rice fairly thick so I've done the beans mashing thing before. May try a batch this weekend. Thanks to tirk as well.
I tried to make jambalaya in the crock pot one and the rice was way over done and mealy. I just use my rice cooker and it comes out perfect.
anyone use one of those microwave rice cookers? its just some plastic bowl with a lid really. works like a charm. add salt and water over the rice and nuke it for like 15 mins and its perfect every time.
i was skeptical when I saw it at first but never have a problem and dont have to watch it. definitely recommended.