Dave's Cowboy Beans
My bean recipe comes from an old bean package; I've adjusted it to match late 1880s spices. You can use the stovetop, but a Crock-Pot is easier because they burn easily. Soak beans overnight; start them in the morning, and they'll be ready by late afternoon.
My bean recipe comes from an old bean package; I've adjusted it to match late 1880s spices. You can use the stovetop, but a Crock-Pot is easier because they burn easily. Soak beans overnight; start them in the morning, and they'll be ready by late afternoon.
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 pound uncooked pinto beans soaked over night
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped fine
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped fine
- 1.5 pound bacon
- 2 large can (27 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons mexican oregano
- 1 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles
- Carbohydrate 3.79808200885939 g
- Cholesterol 0.0286666666666667 mg
- Fat 1.44962257064416 g
- Fiber 1.36518901951345 g
- Protein 1.20284373646298 g
- Saturated Fat 0.13917182702143 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (197g)
- Sodium 76.8712900712249 mg
- Sugar 2.43289298934594 g
- Trans Fat 0.22877850728593 g
- Calories 27 calories
Step-by-step
- Wash and soak 1 pound of pinto beans overnight.
- Drain and rinse the next morning.
- In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp.
- Remove bacon and chop.
- Saute onions and garlic in bacon fat.
- Add onion mixture, bacon and remaining ingredients to Crock Pot.
- Add 2 cups water and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, depending on how soft you like your beans. stirring often.
- If beans get too thick, add more water as needed.
The Canned Bean Trap
Starting with canned beans instead of dry pinto beans completely ruins the structural integrity of this dish. Canned legumes are pre-cooked and will dissolve into mush during the six to seven hours required for the spices to meld. Dry beans must be soaked overnight in cold water to rehydrate the cellular matrix evenly before cooking.
rendering the fat
Cooking the bacon until crisp yields the rendered fat necessary to sweat the onions and garlic. Sautéing the aromatics directly in bacon drippings coats them in animal fat, which conducts heat more efficiently than vegetable oil and transfers savory depth to the pot. Chop the bacon after crisping to ensure uniform distribution throughout the slow cooker.
Spice and Liquid Management
Heavy quantities of chili powder and cumin require careful moisture monitoring during the slow cooking phase. Thickening starches release into the cooking liquid as the pinto beans soften on low heat. Stir the mixture periodically and add warm water in small increments if the sauce reduces too rapidly.
