Dry beans are what Chef Ryan André grew up eating in his home state of Louisiana. Chef Ryan, corporate chef for City Pork Hospitality in Baton Rouge, has carved a name for himself as one of the top 10 best-known chefs in Louisiana. Food, family, and faith are what drive this young chef as he puts an international spin on traditional Louisiana cuisine.
Q & A with Chef Ryan
What type of dry beans do you use in the restaurant?
Northern beans and red kidney beans. Being from the South, I love a slow-cooked baked bean.
Why do you prefer dry beans?
Longevity. Dry beans are easy to store and what I mostly used growing up in Louisiana.
How did you become a chef?
Worked in a restaurant to put myself through college and found my passion for cooking instead.
Culinary school or apprentice?
Graduated valedictorian of my class from the Louisiana Culinary Institute in 2007.
What do you love about cooking?
I love the battle of the busy shifts, the ability to create and to make memories for people through food.
Chef Ryan shares his recipe for slow cooked baked beans.
Baked Beans
Ingredients:
2 pounds white beans (soaked overnight)
1 pound bacon lardons
2 cups yellow onions (diced)
2 diced jalapenos
1/3 cup tomato paste
2/3 cups dark brown sugar
1/3 cups molasses
2 1/2 cups poultry stock
1/2 teaspoons cayenne
1 1/4 tablespoons salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Sauté onion bacon and jalapenos until tender.
Add tomato paste and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir often.
Place soaked beans, onion, sauté mixture, and remaining ingredients in cast iron pot with lid.
Place in oven and cook for 6-8 hours, or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.
Connect with Chef Ryan!
City Pork
7327 Jefferson Hwy.
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Email: mailto:chef@chefryanandre.com
Website: chefryanandre.com
Facebook: Chef Ryan Andre
Twitter: @chefryanandre
Instagram: @chefryanandre
Photograph of Chef Ryan André courtesy of Gina.
