Pressure Cooker Ragin' Cajun 15 Bean Soup
3 tablespoons of oil See Note 1
1 20 oz package "Hurst's Ham Beens" (sic) brand 15 Bean Soup
1 Ham Bone from Honey Baked Ham See Note 2
1 or 2 Andouille Sausage
1 or 2 tablespoons Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 14 1/2-ounce can Hunt's diced tomatoes with Green Pepper, Celery,
and Onion
1 green bell pepper - diced
1 cup diced yellow onion
4 or 5 stalks celery - diced with lots of the leafy stuff
4 or 5 carrots - chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup uncooked rice
Note 1
One important thing to remember when cooking dry beans in a pressure
cooker. Starchy foods such as dry beans will tend to froth and
create a foam on the surface of the water. This froth or foam
can clog the pressure valves on the lid, possibly damaging your
pressure cooker. To prevent this, add 3 tablespoons of
oil. I use 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and 1 tablespoon olive
oil. You can also use 3 Tablespoons olive oil or 3 Tablespoons
of vegetable oil. The vegetable oil would have the most
neutral flavor.
Note 2
In place of a ham bone, you can substitute smoked ham hocks, smoked
ham shanks, or smoked Turkey legs.
The following are instructions for the Instant Pot Duo 6 qt. or 8
qt. pressure cooker. If using the 6 Qt Instant Pot, be sure
you do not exceed the maximum fill level of the pot.
Sort through the
beans looking for debris or bad beans. Wash the beans in a
colander or sieve. If the bag contains a white packet labeled "Ham
Flavor", throw it away. If you like, trim excessive fat off the
ham bone.
Place the ham bone then the
beans in a 6 or 8 Quart Instant Pot pressure cooker. Cover the
beans with water, until water is about 2 inches above the
beans. ADD THE 3 TABLESPOONS OF OIL. Add some fresh
ground pepper, ground cumin, and granulated Garlic to taste. DO NOT
add salt at this point as it will cause the dry beans to cook
improperly.
Place the lid on the pressure cooker, put the pressure control lever
on "Sealed". Press the "Bean/Chili" button, check that "High
Pressure" is selected, and set the timer to 30 minutes. When
finished, press the "Keep Warm/Cancel" button and do a natural
pressure release for 10 to 15 minutes. Then do a quick
pressure release to release the remaining pressure.
While the beans and ham are cooking, dice the green
bell pepper, yellow onion, celery, and carrots. Slice the
Andouille sausage, the cut the slices into halves or quarters.
When the pressure cooker has finished and the pressure released, remove
the ham bone, ham hocks, ham shanks, or turkey leg. If there is
excessive fat on the surface, remove it with a ladle or sop it up with a
paper towel. Remove the meat from the bones and return the meat to
the pot.
Add the Andouille, can of tomato sauce, can of diced tomatoes, bell
pepper, onion, celery, carrots, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, and
uncooked rice. Adjust water as needed. At this point
add the Creole Seasoning. The first time, I would suggest only 1
Tablespoon of Creole Seasoning, then decide if you want more heat the
next time.
Replace the lid on the pressure cooker, and check the pressure lever is
in the sealed position. Press the "Soup" button, check that "High
pressure" is selected, and set the timer to 30 minutes. After the
pressure cooker is finished, press the "Keep Warm/Cancel" button and do
a natural pressure release for 10 to 15 minutes. Then do a quick
pressure release to release the remaining pressure.
This is the basic soup and it is ready to eat.