Cooking Beans from Scratch

Americas Test Kitchen did some extensive testing and determined that there is just no competing with the commercial canned beans that are available today. We trust them, so that is what we do, but it is still an adventure to cook your own beans from these little hard globes.

Prepared Beans – Dry Bean Processing

Ingredients

• • 1 CU dry beans (not lentils – see list at bottom of this page)
  • 4 C chicken or beef broth or stock
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 1 chili chipotle jalapeño – seeds removed
  • 4 cloves garlic (roughly chopped)
  • One sprig (about 6 leaves) of Episote
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt – DO NOT ADD UNTIL THE END

Instructions

1. 1. Before starting, examine beans for (and remove) damaged beans and foreign material, such as stones or grit.
   2. Clean beans in pot of water, changing water three times, removing “the floaters”
   3. Soak beans overnight in cold water
      ===============   NEXT DAY:  
   4. Put beans into a large sauce pan and add broth.  Make sure beans are completely covered by more than an inch of liquid.
   5. Add half a roughly chopped white onion
   6. Add garlic, episote and chipotle chile – plus a few teaspoons of the adobo sauce
   7. Bring up to a near boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.  Be sure to cook slowly. Cooking too quickly can break the skins.
   8. Cook 90 minutes if you plan to eat the beans whole as a side.  Season with salt if you plan to eat them whole.  If not, wait.
   9. Cook another half hour if you plan to make refried beans.

REFRIED BEANS

1. 10. After cooking for the extra half hour, put into holding bowl.
   11. Add another half white onion to the pan, and add 1 TBL lard
       • Sautee onion over medium heat until slightly browned
   12. Finely mince another clove of garlic and add to the pan
   13. Use slotted spoon to take out your beans and add to the pan
   14. Once heated through, roughly mash with a potato masher
   15. Add a little juice if it is too dry
   16. Add 1/2 tsp salt at the very end.
   17. Sprinkle with Cotijo cheese

Notes

Types of beans include:
Pinto beans
Navy beans
Kidney beans
Red beans
Great Northern beans
Black beans

Acceptable, but not usual include:
Garbanzo beans

Do not use this recipe for:
Lentils