Popeyes-Style Red Beans and Rice (Copycat Recipe)

Ingredients Check off as you gather

• 1 lb small red beans (not kidney beans), sorted and soaked overnight
• 1/2 lb pickle meat or pork rib tips
• 11 oz smoked pork neck bones
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke, plus 1/4 teaspoon for the stock
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped into medium pieces
• 3 ribs celery, rinsed and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, rinsed and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 oz fresh parsley, rinsed and chopped
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole seasoning, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, divided
• 14 cups water for the pork stock
• 1 1/2 cups Zatarain's parboiled long grain rice
• 3 1/4 cups water for the rice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions Step-by-step

1. Sort through the dried red beans, discarding any that are broken or discolored, then place them in a large 8-quart pot with 14 cups of water, cover, and let them soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the soaked beans through a fine mesh strainer and set them aside.

3. To build the pork stock, place the pickle meat, smoked neck bones, onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, bay leaves, 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke in the same 8-quart pot with 14 cups of fresh water.

4. Bring the stock to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 1 hour, then remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before straining out and discarding the solids, reserving about 8 cups of the rich pork broth.

5. Combine the drained beans with the reserved pork stock, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon Creole seasoning, and another 1/4 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke in the pot, then bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth is thickening.

6. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke, simmer for 2 more minutes, then turn off the heat and stir in the butter until fully melted — this is where the beans start to taste truly like popeyes style red beans and rice.

7. Let the beans rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken further before serving.

8. While the beans rest, bring 3 1/4 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a low simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then reduce to medium-low, stir in the rice, cover tightly, and cook for 20 minutes.

9. Turn off the heat and let the rice steam undisturbed for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork and spoon generously alongside the red beans.