King City Pink Beans Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S SANTA MARIA-STYLE BEANS

Steps:

• Place pink beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain.
• Place drained beans in a stockpot with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook until almost completely tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
• While beans are simmering, cook and stir bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until cooked through but not crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ham; cook and stir until ham is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir garlic into ham mixture and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, ketchup, sugar, dry mustard, paprika, chili powder, salt, chipotle chile powder, and oregano. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.
• Drain beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Combine beans, reserved liquid, and tomato mixture in the beans stockpot; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and mixture has thickened, about 30 minutes.

PINK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the beans, checking for stones and debris.
• Soak beans overnight.
• Saute bacon until crisp, drain.
• Add carrots, celery, onions and garlic to bacon grease.
• Saute 5-10minutes.
• Drain beans.
• Put in bean soup pot along with carrots, celery, onions and garlic.
• Add the cooked bacon.
• Add the ham hock, tomato sauce and water.
• Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for 2 1/2 hours until beans are soft.
• Remove the ham hock and pull the meat from the bone.
• Chop and return meat to the soup.
• Remove 1/4th to 1/3rd of the beans, mash or puree.
• Return to pot and simmer another 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Skim off unwanted grease.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve.