Homemade Pinto Beans
It has been awhile since I posted a recipe, and this is a must-have for your card file. I live in San Diego, so I'm very close to the Mexican border, and much of what I eat is influenced by their cooking. I love bean burritos, and if any of you think you're going to open a can and get a semblance of what beans are supposed to taste like...uh, that stuff is just "bleck" (tongue sticking out). Beans are so easy to make, and they are great as a side dish or as an ingredient in so many dishes.
1 cup dry pinto beans, rinsed
3-4 cups water
1/2 onion, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 jalepeno pepper (cut stem end off, but otherwise leave whole)
2 serrano pepper (cut stem ends off, but otherwise leave whole)
Optional: bacon or ham hock for flavor
Place beans in a saucepot and cover with water (you can soak beans several hours or overnight if desired).
Add rest of items.
Cover, and simmer 3-4 hours for tenderness.
Make sure you add water as needed, and stir the pot occassionally. You do NOT want the beans to stick to the bottom.
If any of the beans burn, the whole batch will taste burned.
After cooking, remove the flavoring additions and throw away. I leave the garlic and onion, because I like the additional texture, but throw out the peppers and pork (if using. I never add that).
I also like my beans soupy (frijoles de la olla), but use a slotted spoon to drain off excess liquid when you go to use the beans, if you like yours a bit drier. I would refrigerate it in the water, however, or it may become too dry. For the very last step, salt to taste, but go lightly as it can easily become too salty. Good in refrig for three days, or freeze for later use.
If you want to refry your beans, in a frying pan place oil (or bacon drippings, or shortening) and your cooked beans (it's the fat that adds the flavor, sad but true, so add a lot!).
As the beans heat up, mash with a potato masher continually until you get desired consistency, and beans are warmed through. If desired, add sour cream and cheese.
1 cup dry pinto beans, rinsed
3-4 cups water
1/2 onion, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
1 jalepeno pepper (cut stem end off, but otherwise leave whole)
2 serrano pepper (cut stem ends off, but otherwise leave whole)
Optional: bacon or ham hock for flavor
Place beans in a saucepot and cover with water (you can soak beans several hours or overnight if desired).
Add rest of items.
Cover, and simmer 3-4 hours for tenderness.
Make sure you add water as needed, and stir the pot occassionally. You do NOT want the beans to stick to the bottom.
If any of the beans burn, the whole batch will taste burned.
After cooking, remove the flavoring additions and throw away. I leave the garlic and onion, because I like the additional texture, but throw out the peppers and pork (if using. I never add that).
I also like my beans soupy (frijoles de la olla), but use a slotted spoon to drain off excess liquid when you go to use the beans, if you like yours a bit drier. I would refrigerate it in the water, however, or it may become too dry. For the very last step, salt to taste, but go lightly as it can easily become too salty. Good in refrig for three days, or freeze for later use.
If you want to refry your beans, in a frying pan place oil (or bacon drippings, or shortening) and your cooked beans (it's the fat that adds the flavor, sad but true, so add a lot!).
As the beans heat up, mash with a potato masher continually until you get desired consistency, and beans are warmed through. If desired, add sour cream and cheese.
3 Comments:
Will the pepper make the beans hot? I don't like things spicy.
It will add a bit of heat, but you do remove the peppers at the end, and the seeds don't get mixed in or anything. Maybe leave out the jalepeno and just use one serrano, and see if you like that flavor.
love to have dinner with you. LOL
My mother had a recipe similiar to this, but she had passed and the recipe went with her...
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