Zatarain's Red Beans & Rice Dinner Mix - 8oz

Have used this for decades because it use to be an easy, tasty product. 20 years ago, I would have given it a 4 even 5 star rating. In fact, I just made up some last night. Now it's just got stuff it doesn't really need or I can't figure out why they are added. I typically use blackened grilled chicken as the meat additive. You can use chicken, pork chops, smoked sausage, left over country ham, meat off ham hocks, even pull the left over meat from smoked ribs, The blackened chicken I use is cooked up and sold to the grocery stores by a local company like buying a rotisserie chicken to make quick meals. With all the not good for you additives, I'm thinking of using the same grilled blackened chicken, cooking up natural rice like one that isn't enriched ie a brown rice that has all its good stuff still in it, my own spices and using canned, precooked black beans, or whatever bean I'm in the mood for that day. This product was the red beans but like I say I go back and forth or use to. Another issue is the beans in this product no longer cook up like they once did. They are hard, even if you cook longer and add more water or chicken broth. And they aren't "real" beans ie not whole beans like you would use at home — in the processed box mix, they are like slivers of beans. I guess so they will cook up quick but it's not working guys. I had hoped they would go back to making it the way they once did. And frankly it would be so easy to make the dish myself and just as fast using the pre cooked blackened grilled chicken or a rotisserie chicken, canned black beans, brown rice of any type you like cooked up with chicken broth, butter and any spices you want to add. Along with taking a few minutes to cook up some celery, yellow onion, and peppers with the added spices in a pan and just add it all together at the end. If you are a big griller or smoker — you could use all types of left over meats to make this dish during the week. If you are a big fish person, you could use it blackened or not. Think fresh caught catfish, grouper, fresh water perch, spot or even trout, maybe salmon. I'm not a big fish eater but I think grilled, blackened, white, mild fish could be good. I also use Sargento Mexican assorted cheeses to top it off. And my bets are the mix would make some great tacos, quesadillas, oven baked meat pies, etc. I have for years just made up the Zatarains red or black bean mixtures and added the precooked chicken and left it at that. But the quality has slipped, not as much in flavor but certainly in the beans and the rice not cooking up right ie hard. Adding a bunch of salt doesn't make a product better, it just makes it salty. Think of the deal where we have a favorite store brand potato salad but over the years, they seem to forget to cook the potatoes correctly ie too hard. Same issue with coleslaw where they seem to have forgotten the carrots and the spices like celery seed that make coleslaw what it's always been. For the potatoes, can't do anything when the potatoes are still hard except try to eat it or throw it out— it's already dressed, no way to cook them more. Sorry Zatarains, you have had plenty of time to go back and improve this product. My cooking it myself wouldn't take any longer than making yours ie 20 minutes and would be a lot healthier but still have the Cajun flavor as you can make up your own spice mix or just find one that you like to keep on the shelf. It's difficult to say on recommending this product — in the past an absolute yes. But now I don't know. May just give them my recipe for making on my own. But it is easy to store on the shelf but so is rice, chicken broth, canned black beans, spices and just add the already cooked meat of choice. Even that can go in the freezer from the store ie the blackened, grilled chicken, I always keep a couple packages in the freezer. I even cook up onions, celery in butter and put in ice trays to freeze, can pull out what I need. Just pop a couple "ice cubes" in with the rice while it's cooking. Easy, peasy.

Doesn't say when to add browned ground beef on instruction!!!!! It is a valid question. Should say when to add the browned ground beef. Shame on your company!

Really good for a box! I changed the recommendation to add the meat up front. I added grilled chicken chunks, ham and kielbasa. I sautéd the meats first in my pot, removed them and cooked the beans and rice longer than the package instructions due to comments in the reviews. I added the meat back at the end. My husband said it was good and he is a PICKY eater. I also added more garlic and onion powder because there is never enough for me.

Unless you enjoy eating raw, crunchy beans, add a lot more water than the directions call for and simmer it twice as long or longer.

This product is A1- It's the base for my Tex Mex cassarole.I add black beans,whole onion,can tomatoes, corn,garlic,3 cups liquid. Cook as directed till liquid absorbed. Top with ched cheese. Serve with Salsa,sour cream,tortilla chips...yummm! Chilli spice a must.

Easy to make and flavor was good, however the red beans were more than crunchy. They need to be parboiled some more before packaging

Why on earth would you change your original directions?? The amount of water being used so people can "save time" by cooking the meat with the dish produces a not-so tasty meal. I'm going to search for the original directions to see if that will help. Before your change, I'd add cooked ground beef, polish sausage/kielbasa, crawfish tail meat & diced onions shortly before the dish was done cooking and it was the PERFECT taste. The meat I added did not take away from the seasonings like it does with the new directions. So extremely disappointed.

This meal is affordable quick, easy and delicious . I love to add smoked sausages and shredded chicken to it. It’s a full meal on its own with an addition of corn on the cob. As a house of 1, it lasts me 2 nights

What happened to the flavor? It's so bland now ugh! I use to love this but not what it use to be

Stired in rice with strained ground beef, water, seasoning etc like box says and let cool for 25 minutes rice came out hard as a rock

Instead of beef I use chicken, sausage, chicken and sausage, shrimp or shrimp and various seafood. always. Always great. I take a few everywhere I go.

I used to buy this regularly and it was delicious. It's been a little while and let me say that it is not what it used to be. The flavor is now bland and tasteless.

Make it with less sodium

I've been introduced to this magic about 22 years ago. It's my comfort food. I add smoked sausage, and eat it with fried egg on top, hot green pepper and salted sour cream on the side. Thank you for making this. My fav US dish 😘

Why don't you have the microwave instructions on the box??? I bought this for a quick easy side dish and I guess I was fooled

Ok. I'm from the south. This is a very good and tasty product. I especially like it as it is quick, easy and good taste without the southern recipe that includes soaking the beans etc etc. When I make this shortcut version I add a little garlic clove and some sautéed onion and some Zaterains Cajun spice. Goes well with Jimmy Buffet and cornbread.

Every time I prepare this product, the beans never cook well. They're always undercooked and they're hard somewhat. Ideally, the beans should be completely soft.

the 8oz jambalaya calls for 2.5 cups of water and that comes out great. the 8oz red beans and rice calls for 3 cups of water and the end result was a lot more "liquidy" is that how it's supposed to be?

I love your red beans and rice.mines always cooks well. No complaints with me.

Followed instructions exactly using 1/2 pound of turkey sausage. Instructions say to fluff the rice, but the rice did not absorb all the water - it was soupy. Not like a chicken noodle, but a little thinner than a pea soup. Cooked it an extra five minutes with the lid on, then 5 minutes more with the lid off so that more water could evaporate.