Well I tried the RB&R copycat recipe and I must say it was pretty darn
close. Instead of using ham hock I used a half package of hickory smoked
bacon trimmed of almost all fat. Next time I'm using the whole package.
It turn out with a little too much garlic flavor and it needed more salt
but that's because I sub garlic powder for garlic salt since I didn't
have any so I'll know better next time. It was also a little on the dry
side so next time I will use a little more water and/or lard.

I also attempted Popeye's Cajun Rice which was less of a success but I
think it's because of the Creole seasoning blend (below) I got off the
internet instead of purchasing a premixed jar since the spices/herbs
were not right.

Creole seasoning:
* 2 tablespoons onion powder
* 2 tablespoons garlic powder
* 2 tablespoons dried oregano
* 2 tablespoons dried basil
* 1 tablespoon dried thyme
* 1 tablespoon black pepper
* 1 tablespoon white pepper
* 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
* 5 tablespoons paprika
* 3 tablespoons salt


RED BEANS AND RICE:
3 (16-ounce canned) red kidney beans
3/4 pound smoked ham hocks
11 /4cups water
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup lard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 cups long-grain white rice ; cooked

-= Instructions =-
1. Pour 2 cans of beans (juice and all) into a large saucepan. Add the
smoked ham hocks and water. Turn the heat on medium-low and stir well to
mix all the ingredients.

2. Simmer for about an hour until the meat starts to loosen from the bone.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool until the ham hock is at a
comfortable enough temperature to be handled. Carefully remove the meat
from the bone. Discard the bone.

3. Place the meat, beans and liquid in a food processor or blender. Add
onion powder, garlic salt, red pepper, salt, and lard. Blend on high
for a
few seconds. (In a food processor, this will only take about 4 seconds.)
The beans should be chopped and the liquid should be thick.

4. Drain the third can of beans, discarding the liquid. Add the drained
beans to the mixture in the blender or processor. Blend for just a second
or two. (You want these beans to remain almost whole, but blended into the
processed beans.)

5. Transfer the bean mixture back into the pan and cook slowly over low
heat, stirring often to prevent sticking. Cook until the beans are firm,
and most of the water has been evaporated.

6. While the beans cook, prepare the rice according to the directions on
the bag.

7. Once the beans and rice are done cooking, remove them both from the
heat.

8. Serve the bean mixture over the cooked rice on individual serving
plates, or alongside a main course dish.


CAJUN RICE:
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup finely diced bell pepper
1/3 cup diced green onions
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon celery flakes
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
4 cups long grain rice, cooked and drained
1/4 to 1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

In fry pan stir ground beef and bell pepper. Cook over medium high heat
until beef loses its pink color and bell pepper is soft. Remove excess
grease. Turn temperature down to medium or medium low. Add remaining
ingredients; stir and cook together until ground beef is completely
cooked and liquid is gone - about 25 to 35 minutes. More Creole
seasoning and red pepper may be added for taste.

"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> Well I tried the RB&R copycat recipe and I must say it was pretty darn
> close. Instead of using ham hock I used a half package of hickory smoked
> bacon trimmed of almost all fat. Next time I'm using the whole package. It
> turn out with a little too much garlic flavor and it needed more salt but
> that's because I sub garlic powder for garlic salt since I didn't have any
> so I'll know better next time. It was also a little on the dry side so
> next time I will use a little more water and/or lard.


I would try fresh garlic and just add salt.

Scott wrote:
> Well I tried the RB&R copycat recipe and I must say it was pretty darn
> close. Instead of using ham hock I used a half package of hickory
> smoked bacon trimmed of almost all fat. Next time I'm using the whole
> package. It turn out with a little too much garlic flavor and it needed
> more
> salt but that's because I sub garlic powder for garlic salt since I
> didn't have any so I'll know better next time. It was also a little on the
> dry side so next time I will use a little more water and/or lard.
>
> I also attempted Popeye's Cajun Rice which was less of a success but I
> think it's because of the Creole seasoning blend (below) I got off the
> internet instead of purchasing a premixed jar since the spices/herbs
> were not right.

Glad the red beans and rice recipe worked out for you, Scott! When I found
it, it seemed fairly close to the Popeye's® brand. Now you don't have to
drive all the way to Chicago! :~)

kili

kilikini wrote:
> Scott wrote:
>> Well I tried the RB&R copycat recipe and I must say it was pretty darn
>> close. Instead of using ham hock I used a half package of hickory
>> smoked bacon trimmed of almost all fat. Next time I'm using the whole
>> package. It turn out with a little too much garlic flavor and it needed
>> more
>> salt but that's because I sub garlic powder for garlic salt since I
>> didn't have any so I'll know better next time. It was also a little on the
>> dry side so next time I will use a little more water and/or lard.
>>
>> I also attempted Popeye's Cajun Rice which was less of a success but I
>> think it's because of the Creole seasoning blend (below) I got off the
>> internet instead of purchasing a premixed jar since the spices/herbs
>> were not right.
>
> Glad the red beans and rice recipe worked out for you, Scott! When I found
> it, it seemed fairly close to the Popeye's® brand. Now you don't have to
> drive all the way to Chicago! :~)
>
> kili
>
>

Their spicy chicken strips and biscuits are also worth the drive. Plus
I'm starting to forgot what their red beans and rice tastes like since
it's been almost 5 years so I think I need a little refresher.

On Sep 29, 8:40*am, Scott > wrote:
> Well I tried the RB&R copycat recipe and I must say it was pretty darn
> close. Instead of using ham hock I used a half package of hickory smoked
> bacon trimmed of almost all fat. Next time I'm using the whole package.
> It turn out with a little too much garlic flavor and it needed more salt
> but that's because I sub garlic powder for garlic salt since I didn't
> have any so I'll know better next time. It was also a little on the dry
> side so next time I will use a little more water and/or lard.
>
> I also attempted Popeye's Cajun Rice which was less of a success but I
> think it's because of the Creole seasoning blend (below) I got off the
> internet instead of purchasing a premixed jar since the spices/herbs
> were not right.
> [snip recipes]

Sometimes it's interesting to figure out how to replicate restaurant
recipes. In this case, however, real red beans and rice would take
only a little more time and effort than this copycat and I'd bet you
would like the results better. A chain has to use powdered-this and
dehydrated-that because they can't use high school kids to chop onions
and garlic and celery, but you don't have that limitation. The rfc
archives have several good rb&r recipes, including ones by Nathalie
Dupree and by Emeril.

As to the rice. I've most often been served rb&r with plain white
rice. This "Cajun rice" thing looks like an attempt to fake "dirty
rice" using ground beef instead of chicken livers and gizzards. I'd
go with plain rice with the beans. -aem

Scott wrote:


> Their spicy chicken strips and biscuits are also worth the drive.
> Plus I'm starting to forgot what their red beans and rice tastes like
> since it's been almost 5 years so I think I need a little refresher.

Stop making me want Popeye's.




Brian

--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)

aem wrote:

>
> As to the rice. I've most often been served rb&r with plain white
> rice. This "Cajun rice" thing looks like an attempt to fake "dirty
> rice" using ground beef instead of chicken livers and gizzards. I'd
> go with plain rice with the beans. -aem

While i was researching this I did noticed that dirty rice uses chicken
livers and gizzards but Popeye's cajun rice has small chunks of ground
beef just like my creation did, but the flavoring was off

Scott wrote:
> aem wrote:
>
>>
>> As to the rice. I've most often been served rb&r with plain white
>> rice. This "Cajun rice" thing looks like an attempt to fake "dirty
>> rice" using ground beef instead of chicken livers and gizzards. I'd
>> go with plain rice with the beans. -aem
>
> While i was researching this I did noticed that dirty rice uses
> chicken livers and gizzards but Popeye's cajun rice has small chunks
> of ground beef just like my creation did, but the flavoring was off
When I make dirty rice, I use Tony Cachere's. If I am cooking 2 cups of
rice, then I will use about 2-3 teaspoons.
http://www.tonychachere.com/seasoning/

Becca

Becca wrote:
> Scott wrote:
>> aem wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> As to the rice. I've most often been served rb&r with plain white
>>> rice. This "Cajun rice" thing looks like an attempt to fake "dirty
>>> rice" using ground beef instead of chicken livers and gizzards. I'd
>>> go with plain rice with the beans. -aem
>>
>> While i was researching this I did noticed that dirty rice uses
>> chicken livers and gizzards but Popeye's cajun rice has small chunks
>> of ground beef just like my creation did, but the flavoring was off
> When I make dirty rice, I use Tony Cachere's. If I am cooking 2 cups of
> rice, then I will use about 2-3 teaspoons.
> http://www.tonychachere.com/seasoning/
>
> Becca

Yeah, I seen that already. I'm going to use that next time. Pretty cheap
also...about $1.66 if I recalled correctly.

On Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:40:52 -0500, Scott > wrote:

>Well I tried the RB&R copycat recipe and I must say it was pretty darn
>close. Instead of using ham hock I used a half package of hickory smoked
>bacon trimmed of almost all fat. Next time I'm using the whole package.
>It turn out with a little too much garlic flavor and it needed more salt
>but that's because I sub garlic powder for garlic salt since I didn't
>have any so I'll know better next time. It was also a little on the dry
>side so next time I will use a little more water and/or lard.
>
>I also attempted Popeye's Cajun Rice which was less of a success but I
>think it's because of the Creole seasoning blend (below) I got off the
>internet instead of purchasing a premixed jar since the spices/herbs
>were not right.
>
> Creole seasoning:
> * 2 tablespoons onion powder
> * 2 tablespoons garlic powder
> * 2 tablespoons dried oregano
> * 2 tablespoons dried basil
> * 1 tablespoon dried thyme
> * 1 tablespoon black pepper
> * 1 tablespoon white pepper
> * 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
> * 5 tablespoons paprika
> * 3 tablespoons salt


snippage

Heck, I have most of these. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for
posting this.

koko
There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 9/27

koko wrote:

>> Creole seasoning:
>> * 2 tablespoons onion powder
>> * 2 tablespoons garlic powder
>> * 2 tablespoons dried oregano
>> * 2 tablespoons dried basil
>> * 1 tablespoon dried thyme
>> * 1 tablespoon black pepper
>> * 1 tablespoon white pepper
>> * 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
>> * 5 tablespoons paprika
>> * 3 tablespoons salt
>
>
> snippage
>
> Heck, I have most of these. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for
> posting this.
>

I hope it works out better for you. I'm switching to the Tony Cachere brand.

In article >,
Scott > wrote:

> koko wrote:
>
> >> Creole seasoning:
> >> * 2 tablespoons onion powder
> >> * 2 tablespoons garlic powder
> >> * 2 tablespoons dried oregano
> >> * 2 tablespoons dried basil
> >> * 1 tablespoon dried thyme
> >> * 1 tablespoon black pepper
> >> * 1 tablespoon white pepper
> >> * 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
> >> * 5 tablespoons paprika
> >> * 3 tablespoons salt
> >
> >
> > snippage
> >
> > Heck, I have most of these. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for
> > posting this.
> >
>
> I hope it works out better for you. I'm switching to the Tony Cachere brand.

We keep Tony's on the table at all times. Everyone except my wife (who
doesn't like hot stuff) uses it instead of salt. It *is* very high in
salt. If you have a recipe that calls for salt, don't add it until you
taste it first.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

Dan Abel wrote:
> In article >,
> Scott > wrote:
>
>> koko wrote:
>>
>>>> Creole seasoning:
>>>> * 2 tablespoons onion powder
>>>> * 2 tablespoons garlic powder
>>>> * 2 tablespoons dried oregano
>>>> * 2 tablespoons dried basil
>>>> * 1 tablespoon dried thyme
>>>> * 1 tablespoon black pepper
>>>> * 1 tablespoon white pepper
>>>> * 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
>>>> * 5 tablespoons paprika
>>>> * 3 tablespoons salt
>>>
>>> snippage
>>>
>>> Heck, I have most of these. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks for
>>> posting this.
>>>
>> I hope it works out better for you. I'm switching to the Tony Cachere brand.
>
> We keep Tony's on the table at all times. Everyone except my wife (who
> doesn't like hot stuff) uses it instead of salt. It *is* very high in
> salt. If you have a recipe that calls for salt, don't add it until you
> taste it first.
>

I'll keep that in mind...Thanks.