Pressure Cooker Red Beans & Rice

Adapted from frommyimpossiblytinykitchen.

SERVES: 6-8
PREP: 20 min + soaking red beans overnight if possible
COOK TIME: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 - 2 tsp creole seasoning, according to taste (use less if serving kids)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 lb dried red beans (use long red kidney beans)--I recommend soaking these overnight if possible
1 ham hock (ask for it at the butcher counter, or use smoked turkey leg/neck)
6 cups chicken stock**
green onion, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a pressure cooker (at least 6 quarts) over medium heat, add in olive oil. Once hot, add in onion and celery. Cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes--vegetables should be soft and cooked through.
2. Add salt, pepper, and creole seasoning to the vegetables and stir to combine. 
3. Stir in garlic, thyme, and sausage. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until the sausage has browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the red beans and the ham hock to the pot, followed by the chicken stock. Be sure to follow your pressure cooker's manufacturer's instructions for limits on the amount of liquid that can be added to your pressure cooker. The beans should be completely covered by chicken stock, but take care not to go over your pressure cooker's "max fill line."
5. Bring the cooker up to full pressure. Once pressure has been reached, reduce the heat just enough to maintain full pressure, then start timing for 1 hour 45 minutes*. Allow the pressure to come down naturally.
6. Remove the lid and taste--adjust the seasonings and, if necessary, cook a bit longer.

*Original recipe called for 1 hour, but even at 1.5 hours, the beans were not cooked all the way through if I didn't soak the beans for 8+ hrs. 

**Original recipe called for 5 cups, but the beans need more liquid to fully absorb if they weren't soaked overnight.

Serve with steamed rice & top with sour cream. Also good with cornbread.


Note for self: below is Amy's red beans and rice recipe.

Treebeards’ Red Beans

1 pound dried light red kidney beans

2 quarts water

2 medium onions, chopped

2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped

½ large bell pepper, chopped

2 ½ teaspoons salt

1 ½ rounded teaspoons thyme

1 ½ rounded teaspoons oregano

1 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder

¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 bay leaves

1 pound smoked sausage, cut into ½ inch slices

Optional: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped

Green onions, Tabasco sauce and extra sausage

Wash and drain red beans.  In a 4 quart saucepan add 2 quarts

of cold water and red beans.  Soak overnight.   Or, in a 4 quart

saucepan, add 2 quarts of cold water and red beans; bring to

boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove

from heat and let stand 1 hour before continuing.  Do not drain

water.

Add onions, celery and bell pepper to red beans and bring to

boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer about 1 ½ hours until red

beans are soft and begin to thicken.  Do not stir red beans more

than necessary or they will get mushy.

Stir in seasonings and sausage.  Simmer 30 minutes more until

red beans are tender.

Serve over hot rice and top with optional items, if desired.

Serves 6-8