I have an abundance of dried pinto beans. Any suggestions on how to use them?
By Lyn from Glenville, PA
What I do is keep a few and plant them outside, then I sort through the beans for rocks and then wash and rinse them. I then put them in a slow cooker or crock pot and put in water til they are covered. Usually at the end of the day they are done and ready to eat. I love them. Some people put ham in there to cook with it but I never do. If gas is a problem for eating them, then rinse them before serving in a colander.
I love eating bread dipped into the liquid they are cooked in too. I love crock pot beans!
Consider yourself very lucky. Pinto beans are one of the most flavorful of all dried beans, and you can do almost anything with them. Cook them first with just a pinch of sugar which helps to tender them faster. NO SALT until they are completely tender as it hardens the centers.
Add bits of ham or ham hocks, or white salt bacon cut up in small pieces and black pepper. I add a dash of Tabasco or other hot sauce as well. You can add chopped celery, onion and garlic for a delicious soup to be eaten over rice or with cornbread.
If you want to make baked beans, just cook them in plain water with a bit of sugar until they are tender. Add salt to taste, and drain off some of the liquid if there is too much. Save it for soup to be eaten with potatoes cut up in it. Add whatever you normally would add to canned beans to make your baked beans, brown sugar, mustard, catsup, syrup, onion etc.
Cook them first, then drain most of the liquid off, mash them and use them as refried beans or in any kind of Tex-Mex recipe that calls for beans. Beans are so good for us, chock full of nutrition and when eaten with rice (brown preferably), they are a perfect protein.
If they cause stomach gas, it's because our systems are not used to processing that vegetable protein, but if you eat them regularly, your system will strengthen, and they don't cause discomfort after a little while. We grew up eating beans, rice, cornbread and a hot sweet tomato sauce that my mother made to spoon over the beans by the person eating them. It was very spicy hot, but so delicious, so I learned to like it very early on and tolerate the heat.
We ate everything with chopped onion sprinkled over the beans and rice, and fresh sliced tomatoes in season, and almost always freshly made coleslaw that was not sweet. Apple cider vinegar mixed with a bit of mayonnaise or sour cream was enough with salt and pepper. Just plain old home-cooked food at its best. Nothing fancy, but nourishing and very delicious.
Pookarina
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I have a 2lb bag of pinto beans and need some good recipes I can make with it. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
