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Created by Chef Remy
Tender white beans swimming in a smoky, peppery pot liquor with chunks of spiced tasso, the kind of humble dish that makes you understand why Cajun cooking conquered the world.
Tasso does all the heavy lifting in this pot. That spiced, smoked pork brings a depth of flavor that no other ingredient can match. One good piece of tasso can transform a simple pot of beans into something that tastes like it took all day. And it did take all day. That's the point.
My grandmother Evangeline made beans every Monday. She'd put them on after breakfast and let them bubble away while she did the washing. By supper, those beans had turned creamy and the pot liquor had thickened into something you wanted to sop up with every piece of bread in the house. At Lagniappe, we serve this dish the same way she did: over rice, with cornbread on the side, no apologies for the simplicity.
The secret is patience and proper seasoning at every step. You season the tasso when it hits the pot. You season the trinity when the onions turn sweet. You taste and adjust at the end. Three layers of flavor building on each other. That's the bayou way.
Quantity
1 pound
sorted and rinsed
Quantity
8 ounces
cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1 large
diced
Quantity
2
diced
Quantity
1 medium
diced
Quantity
6 cloves
minced
Quantity
8 cups
Quantity
3
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
1 teaspoon, plus more to taste
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon, or to taste
Quantity
4
sliced thin
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
Quantity
for serving
Quantity
for serving
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| dried Great Northern or navy beanssorted and rinsed | 1 pound |
| tassocut into 1/2-inch cubes | 8 ounces |
| vegetable oil or bacon fat | 2 tablespoons |
| yellow oniondiced | 1 large |
| celery stalksdiced | 2 |
| green bell pepperdiced | 1 medium |
| garlicminced | 6 cloves |
| chicken stock or water | 8 cups |
| bay leaves | 3 |
| fresh thyme leaves | 1 teaspoon |
| kosher salt | 1 teaspoon, plus more to taste |
| black pepperfreshly ground | 1/2 teaspoon |
| cayenne pepper | 1/4 teaspoon, or to taste |
| green onionssliced thin | 4 |
| fresh parsleychopped | 2 tablespoons |
| hot sauce (optional) | for serving |
| cooked white rice | for serving |
Place sorted beans in a large Dutch oven and cover with water by three inches. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil hard for two minutes, then remove from heat, cover, and let stand one hour. Drain and rinse. This quick soak does the same job as overnight soaking but gets you to supper faster.
Wipe out your Dutch oven and set it over medium heat. Add the oil and let it shimmer. Add the tasso cubes in a single layer. Let them sizzle undisturbed for two to three minutes until the edges start to brown and the fat renders out. Stir and cook another two minutes. The kitchen should smell smoky and peppery. That smell is flavor leaving the meat and entering the pot.
Add the onion, celery, and bell pepper to the pot with the tasso. Sprinkle with half a teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and sweet, about eight to ten minutes. The vegetables will pick up the rendered tasso fat and all that spice. Don't rush this step. The sweetness of properly cooked onions is the backbone of the dish.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the garlic to the center. Let it sizzle in the hot fat for thirty seconds until fragrant. Stir everything together. Add the bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne. Stir to combine and let the spices bloom in the fat for another thirty seconds.
Add the drained beans to the pot. Pour in the stock, making sure the beans are covered by at least two inches of liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to a gentle simmer. You want lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil. A hard boil breaks beans apart and makes the pot liquor cloudy.
Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and let the beans simmer for one and a half to two hours. Stir every twenty minutes or so, checking the liquid level and adding more stock or water if the beans start to poke above the surface. The beans are done when they're creamy and tender, yielding easily when you press one against the side of the pot.
Fish out the bay leaves and discard them. Taste the pot liquor. This is the moment of truth. Add salt if it needs it, more cayenne if you want more heat. Remember that the rice will absorb some seasoning, so the beans should taste bold on their own. Stir in the green onions and parsley. Let them wilt for just a minute in the hot liquid.
Ladle the beans over hot white rice in deep bowls. Make sure everyone gets plenty of tasso and a good amount of that smoky pot liquor. Pass the hot sauce at the table for those who want to add more heat. Good food is honest food, and this is as honest as it gets.
1 serving (about 280g)
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