Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 2  bay leaves 
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 3 cups rice white cooked
• 1 tablespoon creole seasoning (such as Tony Chachere's®)
• 0.5 teaspoon sage dried
• 0.5 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 3 cloves garlic chopped
• 1  bell pepper green chopped
• 1 dash pepper sauce hot to taste tabasco® (such as )
• 1 pound beans dried red
• 1 tablespoon shortening or as needed
• 1  ham hock smoked
• 1 pound sausage smoked cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 cups water 
• 1  onion white chopped

Equipment

• frying pan
• pot

Directions

1. Melt shortening in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, garlic, and bell pepper in hot shortening until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Combine water, red beans, and ham hock in a large pot; bring to a boil. Stir onion mixture into the water; add smoked sausage and celery to the boiling water; return to a boil. Stir bay leaves, Creole seasoning, thyme, and sage into the boiling water. Reduce heat to low, place a cover on the pot, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 5 hours.
3. Remove and discard ham hock and bay leaves; stir in hot pepper sauce and serve over white rice.