Home Cooked Beans

(from Cera82v’s recipe box)

To soak or not to soak

Mexican cooks do not soak beans because they know that throwing out the soaking liquid isn’t a very good idea. It doesn’t do much to make them more digestible (only a steady diet of beans helps with that), and it makes the beans turn out pale in color and flavor.

Source: Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Categories: Beans

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (about 2 1/2 cups) dried beans (great northern, pintos, white navies, reds or blacks)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil or bacon drippings
  • 1/2 large onion, left whole
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 whole clove, optional (but best with pintos)

Directions

  1. Spread the beans on a baking sheet and check for stones, dirt clods or anything else you wouldn’t like to eat. Scoop into a colander and rinse.

  2. If using a slow cooker, first pour the beans into a medium large pot, pour in 2 quarts of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat; then pour into the slow cooker.

  3. For the slow cooker, allow at least 6 hours on high for the beans to become tender, though you can leave them cooking for up to 10 hours.

  4. When the beans are tender, stir in at least 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for a few minutes longer. Taste and season with additional salt if you think the beans need it. Remove the bay leave and onion, and the brothy beans are ready.

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