Red (or White) Beans, Eula Maes Way

• 1/4 cup bacon drippings
• 3 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups seeded and chopped green bell peppers
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 pound salt pork, cut into small chunks
• 2 pounds dried red kidney beans or 1 pound navy beans, picked over and rinsed in cool water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco brand pepper sauce
• 4 bay leaves
• Chopped green onions for garnish
• Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
• Hot cooked long grain white rice (see Notes)

1. Heat the bacon drippings in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, bell peppers, and celery and cook, stirring, until lightly golden, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and salt pork and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Add the beans and enough water to cover.
5. Stir in the salt, black pepper, Tabasco, and bay leaves, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
6. Cook, partially covered, until the beans are tender and the mixture is creamy, about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
7. Add more water or broth if the mixture becomes dry.
8. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
9. Serve hot, garnished with green onions and parsley, over rice.

bacon drippings, yellow onions, green bell peppers, celery, garlic, salt pork, beans, salt, freshly ground black pepper, tabasco brand pepper sauce, bay leaves, green onions, parsley, long grain white rice

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/red-or-white-beans-eula-maersquos-way (may not work)