Red Beans and Rice: A Monday Tradition

National Geographic ^ | July 2, 2012 | Caroline Gerdes

[nickcarraway]

To the rest of the country, red beans and rice is a New Orleans tradition. In New Orleans, it is a Monday tradition.

Growing up in Louisiana, I remember seeing Monday specials for red beans and hearing people say they wanted the dish solely because it was Monday. Red beans on Monday was a generally accepted fact. It wasn’t until recently that I stopped and thought, “Why Monday?”

The answer came out in the wash.

Before washing machines, women in New Orleans would do laundry by hand — using a crank and wringer, sometimes boiling the clothes. And on laundry day, they needed to prepare a dinner that didn’t need a lot of TLC. Thus the tradition of making red beans on washday, Monday. My aunt once described the facility of cooking the soft, spicy beans by explaining that they cook themselves when left on a simmer.

I know this practice may sound like a myth. But, in my 20 some interviews with Ninth Ward residents, the majority has recalled making, eating or smelling red beans on a Monday — without a question prompting them.

Former Ninth Warders Joan Lee, her husband Jefferson Lee and sister Jane Miceli spilled the beans on the custom, whimsically describing the aroma of red beans drifting through the old neighborhood on Mondays.

Feeling inspired to whip up this New Orleans staple? I previously posted my family’s recipe here on my cooking and lore blog, The Old Country Blog.

[jonrick46]

I just cooked my Red Beans and Rice recipe in my pressure cooker. Here is the recipe I used:

One small smoked picnic ham shank (bone in)
1.5 lbs red kidney beans
6.5 cups water
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp thyme
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Cook in pressure cooker at 15 lbs for 35 minutes

[nikos1121]

Thank you. Will try it!