My daughter named this dish over the weekend. I’ve done white beans and sausage a few times, always to better success with my kids than I imagine. This weekend’s batch was different, and that was largely due to some recipe and process changes.
It’s called “Three Little Pigs” White Beans and Rice because three types of pork went into the process. The original recipe is actually a mix of the Lasyone’s family restaurant red beans and rice recipe and the Louisiana Red or White Beans recipe from John Folse’s The Evolution of Cajun and Creole Cuisine. It also incorporates some of the tips I picked up from south Louisiana moms who cooked for high school basketball tournament hospitality rooms.
One of those tips is the inclusion of ham hocks or neck bones during the cooking of the beans. Another is the insistence that the best consistency and flavor comes from a cast iron dutch oven. However, any pot will do (allegedly just not as well). You can also do this in a slow cooker, which will bring out a lot of good flavor, but I think some of it gets lost going from the sauteeing pan/pot to the slow cooker.
The only other change I made was using pork belly instead of bacon to create the drippings I need in the beginning. The pork belly is cooked and its fat rendered, then it is saved until halfway into the long cook of the beans, where I cut it into chunks and toss it into the pot. That’s the third “pig,” pairing with the sausage and the ham hock, both of those being smoked so that I don’t miss the smokiness from the bacon I didn’t use.
“Three Little Pigs” White Beans and Rice
1 lb. dried navy beans
2 lb. pork belly, cubed
1 lb. smoked ham hock or neck bone
1 package smoked sausage
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped bell pepper
1/4 c. minced garlic
1 c. chopped green onions
2 fresh bay leaves
64 oz. chicken stock or water
Some recipes tell you to soak your beans overnight. This isn’t mandatory and, frankly, I don’t do it. However, if you choose to, that will cut your cooking time down by a good bit. Soak overnight in cold water to soften up the beans.
Put your cast iron dutch oven over medium-high heat and render as much of the fat out as you can. Alternatively, set your air fryer to 370 degrees and cook the pork belly in there, as that will go a little faster. When the pork is cooked, transfer the fat to the dutch oven.
Add the trinity (onions, bell pepper, celery) to the pot and let it cook in the pork fat until soft. When you see the onion start to brown just a little bit, add the garlic and green onion and stir to release the aromatics.
Slice the sausage and add it to the pot, stirring it well until it warms through (about 2-3 minutes).
Add the beans, then the chicken stock. The liquid should cover the beans by a couple of inches. If it does not, add some more stock or water until it does. The beans will absorb a lot, and the cook will naturally reduce the liquid, too.
Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. When it hits the boil, turn the heat to low and stir for a couple more minutes. Then, add the reserved pork belly and the bay leaves, then put the lid over the beans and let it cook for two hours.
At this point, the beans should be soft enough to serve. Use your spoon to mash some against the side of the pot and then stir, making the mixture creamier. If you want, cook longer. It will develop more flavor. The pork belly and ham hocks will just fall apart at the slightest touch. If the liquids reduce too much, add water to thin it back out.
When your desired consistency and flavors are reached, serve over rice. Add hot sauce or Cajun seasoning just before eating.
This is absolutely doable with red beans (like kidney beans), too. The recipes are largely interchangeable.