Smoky Pinto Beans Recipes

BEST EVER PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Cover pinto beans with water in a large bowl. Soak beans for 4 hours, changing water every 30 to 45 minutes. Drain.
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add pinto beans, ham hock, and kosher salt to the pot. Pour in more water if needed to cover ingredients by at least 1 inch.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are just tender, 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove ham hock from beans; cut meat from the bone, chop the ham, and return to pot.
• Stir tomato sauce and brown sugar into the beans. Continue to simmer until beans are tender and flavors are blended, about 1 more hour.

RED WINE PINTO BEANS WITH SMOKY BACON

Steps:

• In the bottom of a large pot over medium-high heat, brown bacon until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in onion, celery, carrots, garlic and rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Drain beans and add to pot along with 1 tablespoon salt. Pour in enough water to just cover the beans (about 7 to 8 cups). Bring liquid to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently until beans are just tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a small pot over medium heat, simmer wine until it is reduced to 2/3 cup, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove rosemary branches from bean pot and discard them. Pour wine into beans and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes longer to meld flavors and thicken broth to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired; add more salt and black or red pepper to taste.

SMOKY PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl; refrigerate 8 hours.
• Drain beans; transfer to a small stockpot. Add onion, garlic, avocado leaves, epazote, and cilantro; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, adding water as needed to cover beans, until beans are tender and liquid is soupy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Discard avocado leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with onion, tomatoes, and cheese. Serve with lime wedges.

SMOKY REFRIED BEANS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat.
• Add whole garlic cloves and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
• Smash garlic cloves with a fork just enough to break them open and flatten them a little.
• Add pintos and liquid and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Add spices and salt to taste. Stir well.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and smash beans with a big fork. You don't have to smash every single bean. Leave some whole for texture.
• When mashed to your liking, squeeze the lime juice all over the beans and serve warm.
• These beans make a great taco filling or tostada topping. My husband likes them mixed with a little salsa and eaten as a dip.

EASY SMOKE-FLAVORED PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• You will find a package of smoked turkey neck bones in the freezer section for about $2-3.
• Soak pinto beans overnight. Drain and rinse again.
• Pour drained beans into a 4-5 quart pot
• Add smoked turkey neck bones (or 2 smoked ham hocks)
• Cover with water that is 1-1/2 to 2 inches over the beans and neck bones bones or hocks.
• Bring to boil and then reduce heat to low and cover.
• Cook for about 5 hours until the beans are tender and the water is a kind of gravy.
• Check every hour or so to make sure that the water level is at least 1 inch higher than the beans.
• Remove from heat and remove neck bones or hocks.
• Serve with bread or rolls to dip into the gravy water.
• NOTE: This does very well cooking all day in a crock pot set on low in the morning.
• And the beans only taste better the next day and the next and the next.

SMOKY PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Cover the beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl; refrigerate 8 hours.
• Drain the beans; transfer to a small stockpot. Add the onion, garlic, avocado leaves, epazote, and cilantro; cover with cold water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, adding water as needed to cover the beans, until the beans are tender and the liquid is soupy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Discard the avocado leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with onion, tomatoes, and cheese. Serve with lime wedges.