Most of my good food memories come from my grandparents. And the creamy, starchy taste of pinto beans always figures prominently in those home movies of my mind. Read more of this essay…
This recipe will serve a room full of company, or a small family with enough to freeze for later.
2 lbs dried pinto beans
½-lb. of bacon, diced
1 large onion, diced
Enough chicken stock or canned broth to cover beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions: Dice the raw bacon and saute in an oven-proof pot on medium heat until crisp. Dip out bacon pieces with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
While the bacon is frying, “look” the beans, which means spreading a handful or two at a time out on the kitchen counter to check for pebbles or “bad” beans, and discard them. Sweep the beans into a colander, and wash vigorously under cold water for several minutes until clean. Set aside to drain.
Some recipes suggest soaking or par-boiling before cooking, but I’ve never found this to be necessary. Neither does it seem to cut down on the flatulence factor of eating beans, as some recipes suggest. The only way to cure bean farts is to eat lots of beans over a long period of time, or to take Gas-X before going to work the next morning.
Add onions to the pan, shake on some salt and sauté until softened but not browned – about 7 minutes over medium heat. Crank down the heat if they start to brown. Add the beans and chicken broth and stir, scraping the “fond” or drippings from the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and bring beans to a rolling boil. Cover, and cook on top of the stove over medium-low heat or in the oven at 325 degrees.
Check for doneness after an hour by stirring the pot and tasting a bean. If the fluid level drops below the beans, add enough boiling stock or water to cover them again. Otherwise, the beans will burst. Continue cooking until the desired doneness, checking every half-hour or so.
Serve broth and beans in a bowl with diced raw onions sprinkled over top, and with corn bread or corn muffins on the side.
Nutritional facts
1 C. dried pinto beans, boiled in water
Calories: 234
Protein: 14.0g
Carbohydrate: 43.8g
Total Fat: 0.89g
Fiber: 14.7g
Also a good source of iron, potassium, selenium and folate
Tags: black beans, common beans, cranberry beans, Pinto beans, red beans, soup beans
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