Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) dried beans (any Phaseolus bean will work, from white navies to reds and blacks—I’m not talking about lentils, garbanzos or favas here)
2 tablespoons rich-tasting fresh pork lard, vegetable oil or bacon drippings
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 large sprig fresh epazote or 2 fresh or dried avocado leaves if cooking black beans (optional)
Salt
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Directions: |
Directions: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.
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.
For stove-top, pour the beans into a medium-large (4- to 6-quart) pot or a pressure cooker. Pour 2 1/2 quarts water into the pot or 2 quarts into the pressure cooker.
Add the lard (or oil or bacon drippings), onion and, if using, the epazote or avocado leaves. (For best flavor, lightly toast the avocado leaves in a dry skillet.)
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.
For the pot, bring to a boil on high, then partially cover (unless you’re using an earthenware Mexican bean pot) and reduce the temperature to low (the liquid should show a barely discernable simmering movement); the beans should be tender in 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on the variety and their freshness.
You may need to replenish some of the water during stovetop cooking to keep the beans floating freely.
For the pressure cooker, follow the directions that came with your model; in mine, cooking takes 25 minutes.
When the beans are tender, stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and simmer for a few minutes longer.
Taste and season with additional salt if you think the beans need it. Remove the epazote or avocado leaves, if using, and the brothy beans are ready.
To Soak or Not
Mexican cooks don’t 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.
TURNING A POT OF BEANS INTO DINNER: Cut 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of boneless pork shoulder roast into 1-inch cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and slide close up under a hot broiler. In about 5 minutes, when the meat is brown, turn over and brown the other side. Transfer to a slow-cooker or large pot. Prepare the recipe as described, with the addition of the meat. Serve in deep bowls
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This recipe for Home-Cooked Beans (Stovetop, Slow-Cooker or Pressure Cooker) Frijoles de la Olla Tradicional o Moder is from