When made properly, pinto beans are soft and tender after cooking. Most people cook pinto beans on the stove, but pinto beans can also be prepared in a slow cooker. Soaking the beans beforehand is one of the recommended ways. These are the things you should know when making pinto beans.
Ingredients
Makes 6 cups
- 225 gr dry pinto beans
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 oz. (56 g) margarine (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili (optional)
- Water
Step
Method 1 of 4: Soaking Beans
Step 1. Wash and sort the beans
Pour the beans into a colander and wash them under running water. Remove any dirt you see before transferring the beans to a large pot or bowl.
- You only need to wash the beans for 30 to 60 seconds. The main purpose of washing it is to remove and remove large bits of dirt.
- Stool usually comes in the form of small stones. You don't have to watch the nuts very carefully during this process, especially if you buy them from a trusted source, but you should look for anything that looks odd.
Step 2. Cover the beans with water
Fill the bowl with plenty of water.
- It's important to use a large bowl because the beans need enough room to rise.
- As a general rule, you should cover 1 lb (450 g) of pinto beans with at least 8 cups (2 l) of water.
Step 3. Let it soak overnight
Cover the nuts to prevent dirt getting into the water and leave them to soak overnight in a cool, dark area.
- You can use the refrigerator, but a secluded corner in the kitchen can also be used.
- Soaking the beans in water softens them, which will shorten the cooking time while retaining as much nutrients as possible. This process also helps cleanse them and get rid of gas-creating, indigestible sugars known as oligosaccharides.
Step 4. Drain the water and rinse the beans again
Pour the nuts through a sieve and rinse under running water to remove any impurities or oligosaccharides.
- Impurities and oligosaccharides will already seep into the water soaking the beans, making this water unsuitable for use as a cooking liquid. Washing the beans will also make them cleaner and safer to eat.
- If you plan to use the pan to soak the beans again to cook the beans, wash the pot briefly as well.
Method 2 of 4: Using the Stove
Step 1. Fill the bean pot with 2 L of water
Place the beans in a large saucepan or your oven and cover them with at least 2 L of cool water.
- The water level should be high enough to cover the beans completely. If you suspect you need more water, you can add up to 2 L of additional water.
- To shorten the cooking time by 15 to 30 minutes, add teaspoon (2.5 ml) of baking soda to the cooking water. Stir gently to dissolve.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil before lowering the heat
Cook the beans over medium-high heat until the water begins to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water just boils slightly. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Step 3. Add margarine, salt, black pepper and ground red chili
Mix the ingredients a little to incorporate them into the nuts. Then cover and simmer lightly for 45 to 60 minutes.
- You can also use cup (60 ml) bacon oil instead of margarine.
- If you are adding bacon or salted pork, you should add it now and do this instead of margarine.
- Red chili is optional, but it will add a little kick and flavor to the plain beans.
- For best results, add salt during this second round rather than adding it during the first round. Adding salt too quickly will harden the beans.
Step 4. Try to check the tenderness
Use a fork to try one bean, checking to see if it's tender and fully cooked. If so, the nuts are ready to be served.
- The ripe beans are fragrant.
- If the beans have not finished cooking, you can continue to cook on a low simmer for another 30 minutes, checking after every 10 minute period to determine if the beans are tender.
Method 3 of 4: Using a Slow-Cooker
Step 1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker
Add the pinto beans, salt, black pepper, and red chilies to a slow cooker. Pour 7 cups (1875 ml) of water over the ingredients and stir to combine.
- Slow-cooking the beans is less traditional, but will result in softer and softer beans.
- The red chilies are only an option, but adding them will give the pinto beans a good kick.
- If you want, you can also add margarine for added softness, but the pinto beans will also be soft without the margarine.
- You can grease the slow cooker with butter or oil spray before cooking the beans for easy cleaning later. In a similar way, you can also use a slowcooker specially designed to prevent pinto beans from sticking to the slowcooker.
Step 2. Cover and cook on low heat
These beans should be cooked for 7 to 9 hours.
- Do not open the slow cooker while the beans are cooking. If you open it, essential steam will come out and you may have to add another 30 minutes of cooking time.
- The total cooking time will depend on the size and age of the pinto beans you use.
- When done, the nuts should look tender but shouldn't fall apart. You can try your beans after 7 hours by using a fork to determine how tender they are.
Step 3. Let the beans rest for another 10 to 20 minutes
Once the beans have finished cooking, turn off the slowcooker and let the beans sit until they have completely absorbed the liquid.
- By leaving the beans alone, they will soak in more water and become softer.
- Leave the lid on in the slowcooker to keep the beans warm.
Step 4. Serve warm
Enjoy pinto beans fresh from the slow cooker.
Method 4 of 4: Variations
Step 1. Add the bacon to the beans
Pinto beans are usually prepared with various forms of pork. Add bacon or pork if you're also adding margarine or seasonings.
- Use 1 thick slice of bacon for every 1 cup (250 ml) of dried pinto beans. Cut the bacon into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces before adding them to the slightly simmering beans.
- Alternatively, cut lb (115 g) of ham into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes or lengthwise pieces and add the pork to 1 lb (450 g) of lightly simmering pinto beans.
- Pinto beans prepared with pork products are usually also prepared with chopped onions. Chop to 1 whole onion per 1 lb (450 g) of pinto beans.
Step 2. Change your spices
You can get creative with your beans. Instead of using plain salt and pepper, try a "pinto bean seasoning" mix or some of your favorite seasonings.
- A pinch of chili or paprika can give your beans an extra kick.
- Garlic powder or onion powder are popular choices.
- For a stronger flavor, add chopped jalapeno peppers or a little hot sauce.
Step 3. Create a healthy version of pinto beans
Mash your cooked, tender pinto beans with a fork to make a refried bean dish.
Saute 1 clove of garlic and of diced onion in olive oil until tender. Add the beans and a small amount of the cooking liquid that the beans use. Cook for a few minutes before crushing it
Step 4. You can also make thick soup beans in a blender instead of crushing them with
Tips
- Instead of soaking the beans overnight, you can soak them in hot water for an hour before cooking them.
- Adding a little salt to the soaking water will help the beans become smoother.
- Serve beans with cornbread. This is only an option, but cornbread is a commonly used accompaniment to pinto beans, especially with bean dishes prepared using bacon or salted pork.
