i wash my beans let them soak in cool water about 3 hrs chop one lg onion 2 celery stalks a few sticks of green onion pickle meat smoke sassage salt pepper and slap yo momma seasoning.i saute the chopped onion in olive oil same with the green onion and celery add to pot i bring beans to a boil after adding about 3 inches of water over the beans i cut the sassage into about 3 inch pieces then cut in half i fry the sassage after fried i add a little water to the pan to get the meat flavor out then add to beans if meat is real saulty boil just a little. fry meat same as sassage add to pot cook for about an hour or two sturing from time to tims when beans are soft mash a few on the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to get a thicker grave .keep an eye on pot you dont want to scorch beans on the bottom of the pot.

Cut a 12oz pack of bacon into 1' strips and brown in the pot to almost crunchy (well done). Pour the grease out and add your chopped vegetables (I use about a tsp of minced garlic, about a 1/4 bell pepper, a diced medium onion, and a little water. Rub the bottom of the pan slowly with that wooden spoon to release the bacon flavor. Add whatever seasoning you like to taste. Saute veggies until clear and add your beans and water. I start with enough water to cover the beans by an inch or two and as it cooks down I add more. Agree about thickening the gravy by mashing a few beans as you go. You can substitute good pork tasso for the bacon if you want. Either way it's one of me and my families' favorite meals. It'll make ya tongue slap ya damn brains out. Approximate total prep and cook time is about 7 beers if you do it right.

If you want some old fashion white beans w/ salt meat don't use sausage and what ever you do don't cook bacon beans, YUK.
Boil your white beans for about 30 minutes then drain and rinse this will make your beans stay white.
Put clean water back and add
1 lb. salt meat
onions, celery, if you put green peppers your beans may turn green.
Season to taste (already have salt in meat)
Cook till tender and creamy, adding water as needed.
Add some parsley flakes when done. ENJOY

For those that don't know, 'pickle meat' as it is commonly called in south Louisiana is a traditional salt pork that was used back before the days of refrigeration and commercial curing plants.

Many folks don't consider making red beans (or white beans) without traditional pickle meat--a/k/a pickled pork.

It's still readily available in south Louisiana and one commercial brand is Savoie's Sliced Pickled Pork.

There are also lots of recipies on the internet if you want to make your own pickle meat.

I'm not a sausage or bacon guy when it comes to red/white beans-- I gotta have my pickle meat!

Didn't realize yours was the 'only' way. Sorry my pitiful little recipe doesn't live up to your profeesional standards.

Sorry if i hit a nerve, but he did ask for the old fashion way. Everybody has different taste.

No prob...just don't knock 'em til you try 'em.

My old grand mother used to drop a tablespoon of lard in her pot while they were cooking. I still do this today it helps with the creaming of them.

I'll take some boston butts and slice them up and make smoked tasso with them. I do that during the summer in my smokehouse after making my deer sausage. It is pretty close to salt meat, IMO. I can remember as a chap going into the local (country) grocery store and seeing the salt pork inside the wire cage covered with salt. Good luck!

they all sound great to me thanks a lot guys!!! caucajun i like your timeline 7 beers! do you think i could cook them a lil slower so it takes about 10 beers?? and slick 0ne 30, if your grandma said put lard, put lard, they aint never wrong brother, you know that!! nobody i mean nobody, can cook as good as the old people, like we call them!!!

Thats the way I see it too!! LOL

Fasho!!!! When the beans are almost cooked set your heat controller on 'drink' and simmer as long as you like!

Use whatever combo of tasso/sausage, cooking time, soaking your beans,etc. that will appeal to you that have been posted already. One more thing you can do is add 1/2 to a stick of butter in the pot (depending on the amt you're cooking) and this will bring the whole dish up another notch--this works great for red beans too BTW.