Cajun red beans and rice

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried red beans
• 12 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 - 3 ham hocks
• 1/2 pound bacon, diced
• 1 pound Andouille or other smoked sausage, quartered and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 2 teaspoons Creole/Cajun seasoning, like Tony Chachere's
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Tabasco, sauce to taste
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

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Preparation

• Pick through beans and remove any pieces of dirt or shrivled beans. Rinse well and drain in a colander.
• Dice the bacon and sausage and place in heated stock pot with about 2 tablespoons cooking oil. Add chopped onion, celery and bell pepper to the pot and saute until onion is translucent.
• Add garlic and saute until fragrant, do not brown. Immediately add green bell pepper and celery. Add water to pot and add ham hocks and rinsed beans.
• Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add remaining ingredients, except green onions and cook very slowly, partially covered, for 2 to 3 hours hours. Stir the mixture about every 30 minutes.
• Beans are ready to serve when they are very tender and easily mashed with the back of a spoon and the liquid is thickened.
• Serve over steamed white rice with garlic or French bread.