Sunday, July 26, 2009

Pinto Beans

Beans, a South Texas staple! There aren't really any measurements with this one, it's kind of up to the cook how much to make. Beans are sold in bags of various weights.

Pinto Beans

Clean beans and rinse well. (Cleaning means rinsing them under running water and getting any debris out such as the occasional pebble).

To cook beans, put beans in cooking pot and cover with (at least) 1” of water. (Actually, I usually cover it with a few inches of water since the beans will absorb some of it). Cover pot, bring to a rolling boil, turn off the stove, uncover pot and let it sit for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, bring it to a boil again. More water may need to be added at this point. Add a pinch of Baking Soda. The beans will boil up a little when the baking soda is added. Add seasonings – ham, bacon, etc. and salt – salt is a necessity! Boil uncovered for 2 hours, not a rolling heavy boil. Water will need to be added on a regular basis, try to keep the water level at about the same all during the cooking process.
Of course, beans go best when served with shredded cheese & chopped onions on top and fresh corn bread on the side.

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