Sure you can go to the store and pluck a can of prepared beans off the shelf, but have you ever compared their taste and texture to freshly cooked (by you) beans? They are flavorless and in the bottom of the can is this sludge stuff that you have to rinse away. Who in the heck knows what that is???
There are so many different types of dried beans that it boggles the mind. From garbanzo, to fava, lima, navy, cannellini beans, kidney, pinto and many others I don't even know about. In Mexico, we are very limited in the types of beans we have, so we use either pinto or Peruano beans.
I prefer the Peruano bean, a plain looking yellow bean. They taste almost the same as a pinto but they produce almost no gas – a definite benefit if you have a hot date! They cook in a little less time too.
You are probably thinking, yeah, she has all the time in the world to make homemade beans, but I work all day long. Surprise, surprise, so do I. There are many days I don't even get to sit down to write until later in the evening when my brain cells are on break. So, no excuses will be accepted..... If you have a slow cooker or pressure cooker, cooking dried beans is even more effortless.
Here is an excerpt for some homecooked beans from my cookbook. If you do not want refried beans, then stop before mashing and use whole. They are wonderful in salads, in soup or in any other recipe you usually add beans. Please give them a try and if you have any questions or comments, just contact me.
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excerpt:
From the Kitchens of Pancho Villa, page 19
…......The first thing I do with dried beans of any kind is sort them on a white plate, so that I can easily see the tiny stones or shriveled beans at a glance. Discard anything that looks foreign or discolored.
To soak or not to soak—in Mexico, it is not necessary to soak beans because they are not old beans. In other parts of the world, the turnover in dried bean supplies may not be as active, so if the beans are old, soaking is the way to go. If you choose to soak, then you will need to plan ahead, as they will need to soak overnight. Rinse the beans in a colander and then put them in a large pot. Cover them with cold water to about 7.62 cm/3 inches above the beans. Let sit until tomorrow. In the morning, drain and rinse again. They are now ready to be cooked.
Or ...
Rinse the beans in a colander and then put them in a large pot with a well-fitting lid. Cover them with cold water to about 7.62 cm/3 inches above the beans. Heat the beans over medium heat until they have come to a rolling boil. Keep the lid on—no peeking. Turn the heat off, and let them sit undisturbed for one hour. After one hour, drain the beans and rinse again. They are now ready to be cooked.
Now, what you have been waiting for ... (drum roll) ...
Refried Beans ... THE RECIPE
Frijoles Refritos
2½ cups dried beans
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ onion, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 Tablespoon dried epazote (optional)
3 Tablespoons real pork lard (fresh, if possible; not that white canned stuff) or oil
(both are commonly used) - omit this if you are NOT making refried beans
After you have either soaked the beans overnight or hydrated them by cooking for an hour, you are now ready to really cook them.
In your pot, put the newly rinsed beans, the onion, and garlic and add enough water to cover by 5 cm/2 inches. You will salt them a bit later.
Over medium heat, cook the beans 1 hour. Add the salt and epazote. Cook for another hour. Test for doneness at this point. Taste one to see if it is totally soft. If it is, they are done. If it still has a bit of chew to it, keep cooking. Check them at 30 minute intervals.
NOTE: The times may differ, depending on the age of the dried beans. The older the bean, the longer the cooking time.
(continue with this step if you are making refried beans)
When the beans are done, drain them, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking broth. Now is the time to mash the beans, onion, and garlic. The way to mash them offers another choice: you can mash them with a potato masher and have some lovely little chunks of beans mixed with the bean purée, or you can use the back of a large wooden spoon to mash them for a smoother texture. I like them really smooth, so I use an immersion blender. If your beans are too stiff, add some of the broth you kept—not all of it, just a little at a time to thin them out.
When you have the consistency you like, heat the lard or oil in a large frying pan. When it is hot, add the beans and let them fry, stirring occasionally until they are heated thoroughly and all the lard/oil has been absorbed. Adjust your salt, if necessary. Serve.
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If you are cooking with a slow cooker: Add the rinsed beans, and other ingredients. Cook per your manufacurers instructions.
If you are cooking with a pressure cooker: Place the rinsed beans and other ingredients except salt in the pressure cooker. Add enough water to fill just up to but not more than 2/3 full. Place the cover on and begin to simmer until it begins to 'fritz'. Allow to 'fritz' for 5 minutes then turn off the heat. Allow to sit until the pressure comes down and it is safe to open. Do NOT run the cooker under cold water to release the pressure. The beans will be cooking while they are sitting under pressure. After the pressure has released itself, open the lid and tastte one of the beans. Is it tender or could it use just a bit more cooking? If it needs more cooking, repeat the above process. Older beans will take longer so not to worry, your beans will get done but it might take 2 or 3 'fritzing' cycles.
Share with us your results and what you think of the difference between homemade and canned. We are all dying to know!!
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