Pinto Bean Chili

(from Cera82v’s recipe box)

Any peppers of your choice can be used in place of jalapeno. Add a little fresh lime at the end of cooking. Any dried bean will work in place of the pinto. Meats can also be used, replace half the beans with meat and saute them in fat before sauteing vegetables.

Source: The Bean Book

Categories: Beans, Chili, Soups

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound dried pinto beans, soaked
  • 8 cups water
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup lard, bacon drippings or olive oil
  • 3 large onions, chopped
  • 2 large bell peppers, chopped
  • 2 large ribs celery, chopped
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried cumin or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

  1. In a pot, simmer the pinto beans in the water with the bay leaves for about 1 hour, until tender. Hold aside in the cooking liquor.

  2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, bell peppers, and celery until limp.

  3. Add the tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, chili powder, cumin and oregano.

  4. Add the cooked pintos in their liquor to the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Add more jalapeno or other pepper of your choice if desired.

  5. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, until the beans are very tender. Add more water during the cooking of you want a looser pinto bean chili. Uncover and simmer off the excess liquid if you want a thicker chili. Remove the bay leaves.

  6. A few minutes before serving, fold in the fresh cilantro and adjust the seasonings and peppers if desired.

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