Its Time For Pinto Beans

S

salonghorn-70

2,500+ Posts
For some reason, I've never cooked these much and don't have a trusted recipe. I have checked out the one in the Horn Fans Cookbook.
Please post your favorite recipe.
 
1.5 lbs of HEB select thick cut bacon cut into cubes
2 jalapenos
2 pablanos
1 ancho
1 medium sweet onion
1 medium bulb of garlic
2 Shiner bock beers
2 boxes of organic chicken stock (you might want to have an extra on hand to add to cooking beans)
1 small package of pinto beans (I don’t know the measurement, but I use the HEB brand and the smallest package)
Black pepper, cumin, and chili powder (I never measure, but use generously)
2 limes juiced
1/6th bunch of cilantro
1 med can of diced tomatoes
1 can of ROTEL

Cut up the bacon and render the fat (it means you put it in on about medium high and cook the fat out of it) when it starts to have most of the fat cooked out of it through in the onion diced with the garlic minced. Saute these together until the onions start to get tender. Then add in the beans, jalapenos(minced), pablanos(diced), ancho(diced) can of tomatoes, ROTEL, both beers and the chicken stock and lime juice, and the seasonings(black pepper, cumin and chili powder). Basically, you should just have the cilantro left over. You don’t put it in until just about the time you are ready to take the beans off the heat. Bring these contents to a boil and cook NO LESS than 4 hours, preferably 6. Cut up the leaves of the cilantro and add no more than 15 minutes before you turn the heat off…. The beans will continue to cook for up to an hour after you turn the heat off. You might have to add some water or chicken stock to the beans as they cook.
 
THEU - I've always cooked the beans alone in water before adding everything in, but I will try cooking them this way. Sounds like they would taste great.
 
SAChick, that is the secret. When you cook in plain water and add stuff later, you're just making a "sauce" for bland beans. When you cook WITH the ingredients, the beans will absorb the flavors you are cooking them in.
 
Been there, done that.

Every time I make these, I pretty much get down on my knees and thank brntorng, his mother and father, their mother and father and everybody that had anything to do with him being on this planet.

Hey to Augie and Chance.
 
Beau Vine,
That recipe is pretty similar to mine, but I will go ahead and put mine up against it head to head. The ancho really adds a depth of character that is missing in many beans, IMHO. The ancho just adds a tad of muted spice and smokyness that plays off of the medium note of pablano, and the bolder heat of the japs....
Also, the high high bacon content.... wow.

I will say that is probably my recipe that I am most proud of. I have always gotten rave reviews. SAChick I hope you cook them and let me know how they turn out.
 
They're great in CHILI !!

yippee.gif
 
Okay, DON'T laugh or make rude comments until you actually cook these and try them out. I'm sure they won't fully measure up to some of the recipes on here, but they are actually VERY good, when you don't have a lot of time to spare. I have made them many times for potlucks, and have never had to bring any home. I've also had numerous people ask for the recipe. They taste very similar to the borracho beans at Taco Cabana, and I wouldn't be surprised if this isn't the recipe they use.

Borracho Beans

1 large (food service size) can Pinto Beans
4 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chiles
1 can beer
2 pounds bacon cut in 1 inch pieces
3 large onions, chopped
Fresh cilantro

Mix beans, Ro-Tel tomatoes, and beer in a large pot. Fry the bacon until crisp. Add the bacon to the beans. Saute’ the onions in the bacon grease until clear. Pour the onions, and the drippings into the beans. Add chopped fresh cilantro to taste. Heat thoroughly for 15-20 minutes, and serve.
 
My recipie changes everytime that I make it. Here are the ingredients. I usually make a huge pot and freeze portions in ziplock bags for future use.

pinto beans
chicken broth
cilantro
garlic
jalapenos
peppered bacon ends
celery
rotel
onion
 
My girlfriend made some this weekend, and they were awesoem. I have no clue how she did it, but its my lunch for the rest of the week.
 
Ldy, looks like a perfect short cut bean recipe. It actually is about like the one I posted, just with precooked beans for fast put together. I actually think there is a place for quick fixes like this in the real world of cooking. Thank you for contributing to this thread.

shorty,
I think we have talked on HF before about how some people are genetically unable to taste the real taste of cilantro.
That really is a cruel joke played on you and your wife, and I am sad for you. Sad that you can't enjoy cilantro, and also sad because of how awful it must make perfectly good food taste.
 
re: the recipe at the top of thread, are you shooting for a thick consistency or a runny broth like with my charro beans?
 
Beau,
The point of cooking the diced tomatoes is the flavour. They add acid as well. The acid helps flavours to pentrate the beans. They do cook down quite a bit, but the flavour is still very much there.

I do not deseed the ancho, although when I mince it up, the seeds go everywhere and I don't bother with trying to gather them all up and put them in, of course I don't try to pick them out either. Also, an ancho by definition is a dried pepper. An ancho is a pablano that has been dried.
 
ok, so I am in the 3rd hour of cooking my beans. I took pics during the process, but can't figure out how to put them on here (probably because I am a retard), but if you want to see teach me how to put him on here, or I can email them.
 
Quick question for you bean experts...Seems like every time I cook beans, they turn out mushy. Meaning most of the skins crack and the interior of the bean has no texture. I typically dont soak, do not cook over a low simmer, do not add salt until the end, do not add cold liquid to the pot....baqsically all the "tricks" I follow. I know I'm not overcooking b/c sometimesthe beans split before the interiors are done. What am I doing wrong?
 
Theu, yes i cooked your beans and they were very good except i only used a 1/2 lb of bacon instead of the 1 1/2lb recommended.
 
glad you enjoyed them general. I am going home to eat some for lunch today myself.

I am sure they would be fine with less bacon. In fact, after this last batch I am very seriously considering reducing to 1 lb. How did you find them with 1/2 lb?
I just wonder if there would be enough fat to really saute all that onion and garlic. Do you find you had enough?
 
bacon produces a crapload of oil, a 1/2 lb is plenty imo, if you need more oil, you could add some olive oil. i do not believe i would be able to tell the difference. there are so many flavors in the mix that i dont think you miss much.
anyway, i made a very large batch and took them to a 4th of july party, they were a big hit with everyone.
 
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