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Several years ago, I decided that I wanted to develop a pinto bean recipe. After many questions and a lot of research, I found that almost all cookbooks have baked bean and white bean recipes. I finally worked out a good one and then lost it. I recall ingredients like onions, bacon, liquid smoke, etc. Does anyone have a good one that they will share?
Thanks in advance.
Just boil them up and add minced garlic, salt, a little cumin, and most important of all: lots of red chile powder. That's how we cook beans in the Southwest.
Its just beans dave. [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]
2 cups picked beans
2 quarts water give or take
ham hock or 2
Bring to boil, then down to a simmer, stir occasionally so they don't stick, add water as needed so they don't dry out.
when almost tender add:
about 1/4 onion & some chili powder
4 to 7 hrs start to finish.
Toss the liquid smoke in the trash [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Cook on mesquite wood if you want smoke flavor.
Thats the way we do it, give or take. [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
The Tennessee hillbilly recipe omits any weird chili powder or garlic, but allows you to throw in some hot peppers if you like. The ham hocks are OK, but streaked meat would be more common. Such pinto beans served with a good cole slaw and a crisp pone of buttermilk cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet makes a meal to bring tears to your eyes. If you have it, some good spicy chowchow is a great addition.
Chuck
A large pot,cast iron if you have one,,pinto beans[brown beans],apack of diced up bacon,salt to taste,plenty of black pepper.Let the beans soak over night after you wash them[look for very small rocks],bring to boil,add the bacon, salt[plenty],black pepper[plenty] turn heat down,and add more water to within about 2 to 3 inches of top and let high simmer 8 to 10 hrs. adding water and stiring as well as tasteing for salt.You can add a little halopano pepper diced up if you like them hot,although my grandma didn't. purebred hillbilly from w.va.
Semi-Quick, Pretty Darn Tasty Pinto Beans
This usually takes about 3 hours.
Take a pound of rinsed, picked over pinto beans. Dump 'em in a pot of water (7 or 8 cups). Throw in half an onion and 2 or 3 cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil, and boil for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let them sit for an hour. While they're resting, dice an onion or two (I usually use one large 1015 sweet onion) and some garlic. Chop up three or four slices of bacon. Saute the onion, garlic and bacon in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add some ancho chile powder (a couple of tablespoons), a teaspoon of cayenne, and two teaspoons of cumin.
When the hour is up, dump the onion, garlic & bacon mix into the bean pot and cook at medium heat for an hour. Then add some green chiles. Roasted poblano is good, or even canned chiles, say 7 or 8 ounces. I usually add a little bit of sugar at this stage. Stir and cook till done. Maybe another hour.
They're good in tortillas with a little cheese. Also great on nachos, and make good refried beans. If I were forced to put beans in chili, I'd surely consider these.
From a old New Orleans soul food cook. 1 pound beans, picked through for rocks and such 1 med onion 1 med bell pepper 2 cloves garlic fine chop onion and pepper, mince garlic, add all to pot and simmer until done 10 min before serving add salt and pepper to taste and 1 stick butter any type of seasoning meat can be used if times are flush, in poor times just the beans will work
"if times are flush"
My thoughts exactly after a couple of heaping bowls of pintos.... [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]
I haven't read all the replys to your question. They all sound good. What I do tho is pick over my beans then cover them with water about two inches above the beans. I bring them to a boil then turn the heat OFF. Let them set one hour. Drain off the water then cook using any recipe you like. Letting them set and pouring off the water will take out the gas.
Darn, that kinda makes them just another starch, don't it?
Of course the wife would greatly appreciate that. [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]