Soup Beans Recipe
4 stars -
based on 1 vote
Tried it? Rate this Recipe:
|
Category: |
Category: |
|
Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Dried Pinto Beans, pick through to get rid of any cracked or broken beans or rocks and rinse off
Water
Seasoning Meat (Ham Hock, Salt Pork, Jowl Bacon--cured meat works best)
|
|
Directions: |
Directions:First you need to decide how many beans you want to fix. A good rule of thumb is whatever you measure out dry, will just about double when cooked (ie. 4 cups dried will yield nearly 8 cups of cooked beans.) Personally, since soup beans take a while to cook and the cooked beans freeze and reheat well, cook a little more than necessary and freeze them for later use.
For best results, soak beans overnight. Make sure the water level is 3 or 4 inches above the beans as they will absorb a lot of water. This soaking process reduces cooking time and results in a creamier finished product. Unless you own a pressure cooker, if you do not soak your beans overnight, they can take upwards of 6 hours or more to cook. If you pressure cook beans, they’re best if you transfer them afterwards to a large pan and cook them on the stove top to let the bean broth thicken. You can pressure cook beans and finish them off on the stove in about 2 hours.
To cook: Drain off water in which the beans had soaked. Cover beans by a couple of inches with fresh, cold water. Add seasoning meat. Cook on high until water boils. Once water is boiling, reduce heat enough that it is on a soft boil and cover with lid. Check periodically to make sure that the beans stay covered with water and are softly boiling. Soaked beans may require anywhere from 2 to 4 hours of cooking time. After a couple of hours, check to see if the beans are cooked through. A cooked dried bean should have a smooth, almost creamy texture. If they taste “done,” remove lid and cook to thicken up the bean broth. Once they reach the desired consistency, they are ready to eat. |
|
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: In the winter, Mom always cooked her beans on the wood stove. She’d put them on in the morning, checking them throughout the day and adding water as needed. When we were older, she started using a mix of Pinto and Great Northern beans. Whenever she fixed soup beans, she’d also make smoked sausage cooked in sauerkraut and of course, cornbread. When Dad cooked soup beans, he seasoned them with just salt pork but using a combination of a ham hock and a piece of salt pork add a really delicious flavor.
|
|
This recipe for Soup Beans is from