Louis Armstrong’s Red Beans and Rice

In New Orleans, red beans and rice speaks to the soul of the spirited and storied city. Many native New Orleanians have expounded their own recipes, with some calling for ingredients ranging from jalapeños to mustard. The jazz singer and trumpeter Louis Armstrong loved the dish so much, he would often sign his letters “Red Beans & Ricely Yours,” and had several iterations that he shared with loved ones. In this recipe, adapted from the Southern Food and Beverage Museum booklet “Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours” by Christopher Blake, Mr. Armstrong makes a promising case for his essential red beans and rice ingredient: ketchup, which adds a hint of sweetness and tang. Though it’s not in the original recipe, oil helps brown the pickled ham hock and onion, for maximum depth and body, and keeps the pork from sticking. “As they say in New Orleans, red beans need no thickening because they got it in themselves,” Mr. Armstrong recounted in his recipe. However, if you crave more creaminess, smash a few beans against the side of your pot, just like many cooks do in the Crescent City. —Kayla Stewart

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

4cups dried red kidney beans (about 1 pound 10 ounces), preferably Camellia brand
2tablespoons vegetable oil
½pound pickled pork or pickled ham hocks, diced
1medium onion, chopped, plus more for serving
1cup ketchup
1tablespoon vinegar (such as apple cider vinegar), plus more for serving
1thyme sprig or pinch of fresh thyme leaves
1teaspoon hot sauce, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper
2cups diced lean ham (about 10 ounces), or 1 ham bone
Cooked rice, fried ham slices or country sausage, and warm French bread, for serving

PREPARATION

Step 1

Pick over beans and rinse well. Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover. When ready to cook, drain off all water.
Step 2

In a heavy pot such as a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Brown the diced pickled pork, about 5 minutes, then add the chopped onion. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, for 8 to 10 minutes until softened.
Step 3

Stir in the beans, ketchup, vinegar, thyme and hot sauce; season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with fresh cold water, making sure there is enough water for the beans to cook thoroughly (at least 2 inches of water above the beans).
Step 4

Once the water has come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are semicooked, 45 to 60 minutes. Mash about 1 cup full of beans and return to the pot. Add the diced ham or ham bone and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the beans are thoroughly cooked and the sauce is rich and creamy, 2 to 3 hours. (If at any point the beans seem dry, add water, 1 cup at a time, until creamy.)
Step 5

Serve with fluffy white rice and garnish with fried ham slices or fried country sausage. Also serve chopped onions, vinegar and hot sauce on the side and lots of hot French bread.