Blue Runner Red Bean HELP

[globe9]

I've been seeing those cheesy Blue Runner Red Bean commercials a lot recently and have wondered it they're any good. I've heard for years that Blue Runner red beans in a can are actually very good, but I've never tried them, so yesterday while at the grocery, I picked up a can. I need some help however. Are these good right out of the can(heated up, of course)? Would they be better if I "doctored" them? If so, with what? Just curious to see what I could add to them to make them better, if I need to at all....any opinions, tips, etc? Thanks!

[buzd]

I've been seeing those cheesy Blue Runner Red Bean commercials a lot recently and have wondered it they're any good. I've heard for years that Blue Runner red beans in a can are actually very good, but I've never tried them, so yesterday while at the grocery, I picked up a can. I need some help however. Are these good right out of the can(heated up, of course)? Would they be better if I "doctored" them? If so, with what? Just curious to see what I could add to them to make them better, if I need to at all....any opinions, tips, etc? Thanks!

They are good out of the can, they are better if you doctor them. The easiest way to doctor them is just to heat up the trinity and add the beans to that (maybe some red wine, worcestershire, etc). And you definitely want to add your meat of choice to them.

I've been known on occasion to prepare a bag of Camellia beans and "stretch" the pot with a few cans of blue runner. That works pretty well.

ETA - Blue runners tend to be a little creamy for my taste too. I've also found that if making a decent sized pot of beans, it helps to add a can or two of plain kidney beans as well.

[Alex]

I find they are good if you add a little butter, but then almost everything is good with a little butter.

[edible complex]

they're also good to add if you are making chili and like chili w/beans.

[Isabella Maja]

Saute bell pepper, onions & garlic. Then add the Blue Runners.

[buzd]

Saute bell pepper, onions & garlic. Then add the Blue Runners.

And celery.

[Isabella Maja]

And celery.

I find Blue Runners running on the edge of being too salty.
So, personally adding sausage or celery would push it over the top.
I don't like really salty foods. Just my personal preference.

If they were homemade, it would definitely include celery.

[kcdixiecat]

I find Blue Runners running on the edge of being too salty.
So, personally adding sausage or celery would push it over the top.
I don't like really salty foods. Just my personal preference.

If they were homemade, it would definitely include celery.



ok, confused here. How would celery make it salty?

[Jesse]

Celery has about 35 mg of sodium per stalk, which is more than the other vegetables in the trinity, but not enough for me to notice it. If you use ham in your beans for example, a cup of it chopped would have 2000 mg of sodium, so I can't imagine the addition of celery would be noticeable salt wise, but who knows!

[kcdixiecat]

I didn't know that!

[buzd]

I didn't know that!

I didn't either, but if you are going to sautee peppers and onions, I would imagine the residual water content would offset the sodium of adding celery. I would rather have the celery flavor than not, despite the potential sodium.

[nikinik]

I add a little bit of crab boil for an added "zing"

[hungryone]

Speaking of BlueRunner red beans, BR is hosting a sweepstakes: http://www.bluerunnerfoods.com/stopwishingofishin.html
First prize is an all-expenses-paid saltwater fishing tournament trip; other prizes include fishing tackle, sunglasses, marine gear, etc.

[JudiB]

Globe, I ditto buzd's first note completely. Those things are REALLY good. You can't go wrong.

If you don't want to take the time to add the sauteed trinity, at least add some sausage that's been broiled or grilled. Oh YUM.

I swear, if I didn't take sooooo much satisfaction in the actual cooking process, I'd use them exclusively. - that's how good & easy they are.

[Isabella Maja]

I didn't either, but if you are going to sautee peppers and onions, I would imagine the residual water content would offset the sodium of adding celery. I would rather have the celery flavor than not, despite the potential sodium.

Well, that's very possible . . . but I saute my onions & peppers to the point of being very caramelized so that means more water is extracted.
So this method doesn't work for me. I find most canned & processed foods are very salty. I realize this is just me... but it is why I don't add the celery.

Here's a question for all of you:
When you eat a stalk of raw celery, just before you've finished, is there a salty taste in your mouth? Celery has a big flavor of salt to me.

[NoNoNanette]

Here's a question for all of you:
When you eat a stalk of raw celery, just before you've finished, is there a salty taste in your mouth? Celery has a big flavor of salt to me.

Shame on me, but I have a shaker of salt when I'm eating celery sticks! :o

[kcdixiecat]

My celery tastes salty..but it's because I've washed the stalk and sprinkled it with salt!

[buzd]

When you eat a stalk of raw celery, just before you've finished, is there a salty taste in your mouth? Celery has a big flavor of salt to me.

Of course. That's where celery salt comes from. :)

[Isabella Maja]

:covri:

Ay yi yi

[Dilfan]

My MIL would cook her beans until they were done, but still had a little body, since my FIL didn't like "mushy" beans. Of course, the "gravy" was still pretty thin at that point, so she would add a can, or two, of Blue Runners to the pot to thinken the beans and add a creamy quality. Tasted great!

[cstoehr]

Speaking of BlueRunner red beans, BR is hosting a sweepstakes: http://www.bluerunnerfoods.com/stopwishingofishin.html
First prize is an all-expenses-paid saltwater fishing tournament trip; other prizes include fishing tackle, sunglasses, marine gear, etc.

just to add....a couple of the Blue Runner guys launch an awesome Blue Runner boat at Mandeville a lot. I would love to win a fishing trip on that. Just saw them the other day going down I-12.

[Oyster]

Ya'll love em?
Rouse has them on sale...10 FOR $10!

Buy them all!
Please!

[JudiB]

LOL, I saw that Oyster. I bought them all right.... to put in a care package I'm shipping to my son in New York. I also bought Crystal hot sauce, CDM, Tony's and Mahatma Long Grain rice.

(you outta see what passes for "long grain rice" in other parts of the country.. it's a JOKE). :(

[buzd]

He can't get Tony's in New York?

[JudiB]

buzd, my son is a Franciscan friar... everything they get to eat has been donated to them. He lives in a friary in Harlem... and no, he doesn't get Tony's, or Crystal, or any kind of coffee, much less with chickory, which he loves.

Not kidding here... if anyone wants to make donations of foodstuffs to them, (they feed the hungry through soup kitchens in Harlem and Brooklyn), just pm me and I'll give you the address. :)

Hey.. thanks for the opening for the plug. ;)

[buzd]

Like Franciscan the wine?

(j/k :))

Can he accept money with which to buy food? What about perishables? (shrimps come to mind)

[JudiB]

Buzd, yes to both questions... the money that is received as donations usually goes to the soup kitchen or men's shelter.

When I send "treats" I send them to the particular friary where he is, with his name on it. So far they've been able to keep what I send and eat it themselves.

There is a grocery nearby, a mom and pop place, that donates their older produce and bread. They usually keep that to feed themselves. LOL when he was home for Christmas he just loved eating bunny bread... because it was soft. Sigh....

You know originally, most monasteries supported themselves by growing their own foodstuffs... and making wine to sell. :) I don't know about the Franciscan wine though, there are a bunch of different Franciscan orders, the one my son is with doesn't have a vineyard. Franciscans are friars though.. so I would doubt it. (Monks live in the country, secluded, Friars live in the city evangelizing).

But heck... what do I know? I'm learning as we go here. lol

[jane dough]

Like Franciscan the wine?

(j/k :))

Can he accept money with which to buy food? What about perishables? (shrimps come to mind)


Or would that be parishables? (Sorry > Just couldn't resist!)

[LauraMc]

Love BR red beans or white beans. Hubby likes to mix them with rice and ham. I go for just the beans and ham. I like that creamy taste.
My mother-in-law just dies when we talk about it. She would never eat beans from a can. She calls us just about every Monday to come by and pick up our beans from her which is just fine with me. :chuckle:

As for celery being salty, never have had the experience of finding it salty. Never thought of putting salt on celery either. I use very little salt because my father had high bp by the time I was discovering food. My mother would scream at him constantly about using so much salt. Then, she tried to switch him to that metallic tasting salt subtitute. That stuff was just awful. :covri: