red beans, tomatoes and rice

Recipe by
Em Marz
Elkton, MD

With the record low temperatures on the East Coast I have been burning through all the cold weather soup and stew recipes I know how to make. This recipe is one from the pantry. Tonight, I started out with an incomplete thought of red beans and rice and came up with a new family favorite meal. Oh, a note about Hog Jowl bacon. I had never used it before a week ago when my boyfriend found it on sale and thought to himself "Em'll figure out something to do with this." :-) I think it has a fuller flavor than regular bacon. I think it worked well in the heartier recipe. I'd use it again.

method Stove Top

Ingredients For red beans, tomatoes and rice

  • 1/2 lb
    hog jowl bacon, sliced or in small chunks (or 6+ thick sliced regular bacon)
  • 1 md
    onion, coarsely chiopped
  • 1/2-1 c
    bell pepper, coarsely chopped. i used mixed color.
  • 1 sm
    handful pickled peppers, optional, amount and heat to your taste
  • 1 Tbsp
    more or less "not too hot cajun seasoning"**
  • commercial cajun seasoning, to taste. i used tony chachere's original creole seasoning
  • 1--28 oz
    can of large dice tomatoes
  • 1--15.5 oz
    can of small red beans
  • ?
    uncooked rice, how much rice depends on how many people you are feeding. i used 1-11/2 cups for 4 people.
  • ?
    water, approximately twice the amount of uncooked rice

How To Make red beans, tomatoes and rice

  • 1
    In a large heavy bottomed pot slowly render bacon over medium/low heat until most of the fat is cooked out. Remove bacon and drain fat, leaving brown bit on bottom of pan. Return pan to heat and add onions, peppers and bacon to pot. Scrape up brown bits and sweat vegetables until onions are starting to become translucent. Add seasonings and continue to sweat the vegetables until onions are translucent.
  • 2
    Add tomatoes and increase heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and add beans. Reduce heat and simmer 5 or so minutes.
  • 3
    Increase heat and add water for rice. Bring to a boil. Add rice and return to a boil. Stir and cover. Continue boiling for 3-5 minutes and remove from heat. Keep covered. Do not lift the lid for 25 minutes then stir and serve.
  • 4
    ** I make my own "Not Too Hot Cajun Seasoning mix". I'm going to try to link it here. (Fingers crossed and hit "Save") https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/dressing/cajun-seasoning-mix.html
ADVERTISEMENT