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Red beans and Red kidney beans the same?


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Are red beans and red kidney beans the same thing?

 

I need to make red beans and rice. I have always used just "red beans" in the past, but this time, when I sent my dh to the store, he brought home red kidney beans. I told him that I didn't think they were the same thing, but he said that's all they had in terms of a "red" bean.

 

I'm making this for a large group, so I don't know if I should go find red beans or use the kidney beans, if indeed they are different. If it were just for my family, I'd use the kidney beans and deal with it. What should I do for a large number of adults eating this?

 

Thanks!

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Red beans are red kidney beans. The "red" on the kidney bean label is to distinguish them from white kidney, or cannellini, beans. (As if one could read the label and miss the picture. Duh)

 

:001_smile:

 

ETA: Really, Ria? I have never seen red beans as anything else. There was some debate about a bulk bag of black beans vs black turtle beans (which are, evidently, the same) a while ago at our food co-op... but I've never seen anything else labeled "red beans".

Edited by MyCrazyHouse
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What we call "red beans" here are also known as " Adzuki beans" and they are different from kidney beans. I'm sure there are "regional" differences.

 

Bill

 

ETA" We also get the "Small Red Bean/Mexican Red Beans" that are on Ria's linked chart. These are what we use for "Southern" Red Bean dishes.

Edited by Spy Car
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Red beans are red kidney beans. The "red" on the kidney bean label is to distinguish them from white kidney, or cannellini, beans. (As if one could read the label and miss the picture. Duh)

 

:001_smile:

 

ETA: Really, Ria? I have never seen red beans as anything else. There was some debate about a bulk bag of black beans vs black turtle beans (which are, evidently, the same) a while ago at our food co-op... but I've never seen anything else labeled "red beans".

 

Yes...look at the link I included in an above post. It's got pictures and descriptions.

 

Ria

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After looking at that picture, I suspect your recipe should say kidney beans, not red beans. Here in the South, I think the two names are interchangeable, but they are referring to kidney beans. It looks like the "red" beans are considerably smaller. If you want red beans and rice, you want kidney beans.

 

I think.

 

jeannie

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After looking at that picture, I suspect your recipe should say kidney beans, not red beans. Here in the South, I think the two names are interchangeable, but they are referring to kidney beans. It looks like the "red" beans are considerably smaller. If you want red beans and rice, you want kidney beans.

 

I think.

 

jeannie

 

oooh, boy....I want to believe you but my girlfriend who is also from the Great State of Louisiana used red beans in her red beans and rice. Not kidney beans...

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What we call "red beans" here are also known as " Adzuki beans" and they are different from kidney beans. I'm sure there are "regional" differences.

 

Bill

 

ETA" We also get the "Small Red Bean/Mexican Red Beans" that are on Ria's linked chart. These are what we use for "Southern" Red Bean dishes.

 

Adzuki beans are the sweet red bean used in Japanese cooking, aren't they? That wouldn't work for red beans and rice, though they are interesting in Japanese desserts.:) They do sweet red beans over shaved ice for the Bon Odori festival here each summer, and I like sweet bean paste in buns.

 

I've used kidney beans for my red beans and rice and been happy with the result. I may have to look for these smaller red beans folks are talking about and see how the taste differs and if it's worth searching them out in the future.

 

We pretty much look on things like red beans and rice, chili, curry, vegetable soup, etc as "peasant food" (a style of cooking which we love)---things folks cooked because that was what they had and could get easily/cheaply to make more expensive things like meat stretch. I have always considered a major characteristic of peasant food is that one uses what one has accessible, so I don't usually sweat making some changes to suit our situation/market availability.

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I'm from Louisiana, and those red beans they reference are the Kidney beans. Big difference in taste. Kidney, light or dark, either one.

 

Red beans and rice with sausage and sweet cornbread. Mixed all together, I even eat it for breakfast. In fact, I had my first date with my husband at The Black Eyed Pea. I had red beans and rice and cornbread. It's my all-time favorite meal. My next favorite is Okra and rice with sausage and sweet potatoes on the side.

 

Kimberly

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Adzuki beans are the sweet red bean used in Japanese cooking, aren't they? That wouldn't work for red beans and rice, though they are interesting in Japanese desserts.:)

 

Correct. For red beans and rice (and other such dishes) we'd use the small red beans.

 

In recent years there has appeared a "second" small red bean variety showing up here "in bulk" in markets that are different from what we were used to (and are better). The name of the beans is never written out, and English (while spoken) is not usually the language of choice at the markets that carry these beans, so "red beans" is about as descriptive a name as we get.

 

But these really hold their "tooth".

 

Bill

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Correct. For red beans and rice (and other such dishes) we'd use the small red beans.

 

In recent years there has appeared a "second" small red bean variety showing up here "in bulk" in markets that are different from what we were used to (and are better). The name of the beans is never written out, and English (while spoken) is not usually the language of choice at the markets that carry these beans, so "red beans" is about as descriptive a name as we get.

 

But these really hold their "tooth".

 

Pinquito's? They are grown up on the Central Coast. They are what i grew up eating - traditional Santa Maria Style BBQ beans. (LOL, now you know where i'm from.....)

 

YUMMMMMM........

 

(I have some hear in FL that i can take pictures of to compare sizes of, i think i have black and kidney beans here).

 

http://www.susieqbrand.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=3

 

http://bbq.about.com/od/sidedishrecipes/r/bl80618a.htm

Pinquito Beans are native to the Santa Maria Valley in Southern California. They are a cross between a small pink and a small white bean. The are available for purchase online or you can substitute pinto beans. These beans are the traditional side dish of Santa Maria Barbecue.
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Ok, I will freely admit to being a Yankee. (Though I do have a Waffle House and grits fascination.) But I have a good store of dried peas & beans - black, pinto, kidney, cannellini, garbanzo... - and I have a decent store of red bean paste buns and adzuki bean miso. I have never seen the adzuki bean outside of the paste/miso context. Why on earth would our southern cuisine have Asian beans floating about in it?

 

The Neeley's just made red beans & rice (with andouille) on Food Network and those were totally kidney beans, which is the only way I have ever had (tons) of the stuff.

 

I think I'll go soak some beans for chili tomorrow... and hide while the bean/chili smackdown commences. :D :leaving:

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red beans are a smaller bean than kidney beans, with a milder flavor....almost flavorless compared to kidney's and adzuki's. they are also most assuredly NOT adzuki beans as another poster mentioned. adzuki's have a thicker outer skin, like the kidney bean does, but a smaller rounder shape than the red bean. they're darker (like kidney beans) than red beans also.

 

Katherine

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I grew up on the Texas/Louisiana border and we would sometimes *GASP* substitute the lowly Pinto bean in place of the small red bean.

 

:svengo:Shocking, I know.

 

 

And we also added sausage.

 

I think the pinto is closer in taste and texture to small reds than kidney beans, fo' sho'! ;)

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:lol:

 

Hey, now I'm going to try the red-bean version. I LOVE red beans and rice but it never occurred to me to try another kind of bean.

 

SWB

 

If you can't find them in your area, let me know. I'll send a bag down.

 

Ria

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Pinquito's? They are grown up on the Central Coast. They are what i grew up eating - traditional Santa Maria Style BBQ beans. (LOL, now you know where i'm from.....)

 

YUMMMMMM........

 

 

Pinquitos look interesting, but those aren't what I was talking about. I am hankering for some Santa Maria style tip-tip though.

 

The red beans I'm talking about are very deep reddish purple, and seem incapable of being over cooked. They just won't give up their "tooth".

 

I've even gotten them fresh from a Farmers Market here in LA, but when I've quizzed the vendors (Spanish speakers) about what the variety is called, the best answer I got was "red beans".

 

But they don't look like Pinquitos. I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

 

Bill

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Pinquitos look interesting, but those aren't what I was talking about. I am hankering for some Santa Maria style tip-tip though.

 

 

YOu and me both..... at least you can buy it or go get some! :tongue_smilie:

 

I can buy these "things" they slice up into well trimmed steaks and well, they kinda suck. Not worth the money.... and they don't get it back here.

 

My freezer is bare of tri-tip.... sigh...... shouldn't the in-laws have brought THAT since they had to come here???

 

I might have to make some pinquitos tomorrow though :D

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YOu and me both..... at least you can buy it or go get some! :tongue_smilie:

 

I can buy these "things" they slice up into well trimmed steaks and well, they kinda suck. Not worth the money.... and they don't get it back here.

 

My freezer is bare of tri-tip.... sigh...... shouldn't the in-laws have brought THAT since they had to come here???

 

I might have to make some pinquitos tomorrow though :D

 

I do a mean Santa Maria style tri-tip. Mmmmm

 

But pinquitos are new to me. I'll seek them out! :001_smile:

 

Bill

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Shoot! There still doesn't seem to be a consensus! Who knew there would be this much controversy over red beans/red kidney beans?

 

OK, well, since I didn't think they were the same to begin with, and since I have always used red beans in my red beans and rice, and since I'm making this for a large group of unsuspecting souls, I am going to make it with the red beans that I usually use.

 

But, the next time I make it for our family, I'm going to try the kidney beans. And I'm gonna mash some of them up, because that sounds good and thick. ;)

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Adzuki beans are the sweet red bean used in Japanese cooking, aren't they? That wouldn't work for red beans and rice, though they are interesting in Japanese desserts.:) They do sweet red beans over shaved ice for the Bon Odori festival here each summer, and I like sweet bean paste in buns.

 

I've used kidney beans for my red beans and rice and been happy with the result. I may have to look for these smaller red beans folks are talking about and see how the taste differs and if it's worth searching them out in the future.

 

We pretty much look on things like red beans and rice, chili, curry, vegetable soup, etc as "peasant food" (a style of cooking which we love)---things folks cooked because that was what they had and could get easily/cheaply to make more expensive things like meat stretch. I have always considered a major characteristic of peasant food is that one uses what one has accessible, so I don't usually sweat making some changes to suit our situation/market availability.

 

I sometimes find it ironic that dishes I grew up with that were made from leftovers --- soups, potpies, shepherd pies --- are made from "scratch" now.

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  • 3 years later...
Guest Esor1553

In New Orleans, the terms 'red beans' and 'red kidney beans' are interchangable. Camellia is the most familar brand of packaged dried beans in the city and that is what most folks buy and their red beans of the famed red beans and rice is red kidney beans. We just cook the beans down to a creamy goodness.

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Ha Ha Ha I LOVE THIS THREAD!!! I grew up near New Orleans but live in the NOrtheast. Red beans usually mean red kidney beans, you know, the ones shaped like kidneys. But up here, they do have a small red bean and it's labeled "red bean." It takes longer to cook than red kidney beans (which down south is just red beans) and it tastes a bit different as well.

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I'm in the south and can confirm using red kidney beans for most of my red beans & rice dishes, but I've also been known to throw whatever beans I've had on hand in the pot, especially since the *spice* is what usually carries the dish.

 

I've been to a friends house, where we were served a traditional puerto rican dinner, homemade plantain chips and all...they used red kidney beans with their rice. I think it is both a regional and a *use whatever is available* thing.....no wrong answer.

 

Or you could totally blow their minds and use orca beans & white rice (DD's favorite dish....she hates *spice*...kinda bland, but it is pretty to look at! :)

 

Edited because iPad autocorrect is my nemesis!

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This is interesting. I grew up in small town TX and my great-gmas, my gmas, my mom, and I all make red beans and rice with dried pinto beans (and it's always made with cornbread). I've never even thought about it. Learn something new every day here. :D

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:lol::lol:

Hey, I always hold out hope that *something* will be black and white, yes or no, on this board. I really thought red beans would be just that thing. But alas...

 

 

Wouldn't that be boring?

 

I have only had adzuki beans in the middle of my shave ice.u

 

http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/flavors.htm

 

I like the Matsumoto special-pineapple, coconut and lemon.

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There IS a contrary New Orleans tradition of using kidney beans. I use my grandfather's recipe--born and raised in New Orleans like about fifteen generations before him--and he ALWAYS used kidney beans. But you have to take a couple of cupfuls out at the end, mash them, and then stir them back in.

 

 

SWB

 

I agree. My family has lived in New Orleans for generations and everyone I know uses red kidney beans. We mash them at the end and add them back in as well.

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Adzuki beans are the sweet red bean used in Japanese cooking, aren't they? That wouldn't work for red beans and rice, though they are interesting in Japanese desserts.:) They do sweet red beans over shaved ice for the Bon Odori festival here each summer, and I like sweet bean paste in buns.

 

Adzuki beans are smaller than red beans, which are smaller than kidney beans.

 

There is nothing particularly sweet tasting about them. I have made savory dishes with them. All Japanese recipes for sweet bean things involve adding a hefty amounts of sugar to sweeten them, e.g. http://justonecookbook.com/blog/how-to/how-to-make-anko-red-bean-paste/

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There IS a contrary New Orleans tradition of using kidney beans. I use my grandfather's recipe--born and raised in New Orleans like about fifteen generations before him--and he ALWAYS used kidney beans. But you have to take a couple of cupfuls out at the end, mash them, and then stir them back in. SWB

 

Quick, Susan! Lock the thread! :leaving:

 

:laugh:

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