Jyniffrec (and others), I'm fixing pinto beans, what seasonings do you like?

[Cindy in C-ville]

Here's from Jynniffrec's post on my question yesterday:

 

Beans: soak them overnight in the vinegar and then cook them in either a crock pot for several hours or just in a pot for an hour or two. Don't add any seasoning until they are at the tenderness that you prefer. Once you get better at cooking them you can start adding in seasonings. We really like pinto beans and corn bread and it is a really cheap meal.

 

So, I've soaked them in vinegar and am getting ready to get them going in the crockpot for dinner tonight. I assume I rinse them, but them in the crockpot and just cover with water. Is that right? Do I put anything else in with them? What seasonings do you like, and how much for a regular sized bag of beans. TIA!

[Orthodox6]

The soaking in vinegar turns me off!

 

Fresh cilantro perfectly "matches" pinto beans.

Fresh garlic and onion, too.

The only seasoning that I postpone until later in the cooking is salt, because it toughens the beans.

[ondreeuh]

I've always read not to cook beans with anything acidic like tomatoes because it will make them difficult to soften. I don't understand the vinegar unless it's to keep them firm and not mushy. ???

[Jyniffrec]

Orthodox6, just out of curiosity, have you soaked them in vinegar and not liked it?

 

The way I was raised is to cook them with just adding salt at the end, then you can add some cooked (or raw) onions on top. We crumble the corn bread and put the beans on top (not too much liquid!). Some people like hot slaw as well, but I'm not one of them.

 

Pinto beans are hard to mess up, lol. They are poor man's food. Oh, and cranberry beans can be used interchangeably. They are good for diabetics.

[Jyniffrec]

I've always read not to cook beans with anything acidic like tomatoes because it will make them difficult to soften. I don't understand the vinegar unless it's to keep them firm and not mushy. ???

 

 

 

You aren't cooking them in vinegar. The vinegar gets washed off when you rinse the beans off and put fresh water in. The purpose of the vinegar is to make them more disgestible. It takes the tummy aches away.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

After they are cooked, I like to mash in the following:

 

Fresh tomato

Sauteed onion and garlic

Ground cumin

Chili powder

[Orthodox6]

Do you soak them in vinegar alone? That is what I thought was being recomended. (high odor and expensive!) or with a couple of tablespoons added to the soaking water? (I can see this latter being useful.)

 

Not that I dislike vinegar. I just never have heard of that technique!

 

None of us have any trouble with beans, for which I'm glad!

 

Another way to improve digestibility for those in need, is to cook the beans with a strip of kombu.

 

(. . . and never use the soaking water for the cooking!)

 

Yep. Beans are the Frugal Family's Friend !

 

 

You aren't cooking them in vinegar. The vinegar gets washed off when you rinse the beans off and put fresh water in. The purpose of the vinegar is to make them more disgestible. It takes the tummy aches away.

[Jyniffrec]

Do you soak them in vinegar alone? That is what I thought was being recomended. (high odor and expensive!) or with a couple of tablespoons added to the soaking water? (I can see this latter being useful.)

 

Not that I dislike vinegar. I just never have heard of that technique!

 

None of us have any trouble with beans, for which I'm glad!

 

Another way to improve digestibility for those in need, is to cook the beans with a strip of kombu.

 

(. . . and never use the soaking water for the cooking!)

 

Yep. Beans are the Frugal Family's Friend !

 

LOL, just a tablespoon of vinegar in the soaking water. The vinegar is fermenting the beans, breaking down the phytic acid. Here is a link to an article that explains it better than I can.

 

I soak a lot of things because not only are they more digestible, they make absorption better.

 

Another thing that helps absorption is to eat fats - butter, olive oil, etc. with your vegetables. You will absorbed more of the nutrients that way.

[Jyniffrec]

One more way to cook pinto beans (Tibbie Dunbar's post reminded me) is to mash them up and put some sort of binder in, such as eggs, and some sort of starch (I use oatmeal, cornmeal - we are gluten free but you can use bread crumbs), seasoning and salt and get them to a fairly firm consistency. Them fry them like hamburgers. We use palm oil. They take some practice to keep them firm but they are great once you do. You can flavor them however you want (also use black beans or navy beans) and then add sides that go with the flavorings. I got my recipe from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman (love that cookbook!).Beans are a great blank slate!

[The Girls' Mom]

Our favorite is to cook them with a ham bone and onions. Yum. And I have always added my salt at the beginning...never had tough beans.

[Cindy in C-ville]

So, I did soak them in total vinegar. :( We'll see how that turns out. They're in the crockpot now with a bit of cilantro, garlic, onions, and some leftover ham. I'll taste and add salt at the end. I'll let you know how they turn out!

[simka2]

Can I hijack for a sec? I have always wanted to ask this question. Many years ago I did some mission work in Mexico. We were served a wonderful, but very simple meal. It was like mashed pinto beans (completely smooth) mixed with ground beef and topped with the white crumbly cheese. It was served with homemdae tortillas that we sopped up the bean/meat mixture with.

 

Does anyone have any idea what I am talking about? Would you be willing to link me to a recipe? Pretty please!

[alpidarkomama]

You aren't cooking them in vinegar. The vinegar gets washed off when you rinse the beans off and put fresh water in. The purpose of the vinegar is to make them more disgestible. It takes the tummy aches away.

 

But the beans swell up to about 150% of their original size while they're soaking. I'm so curious how on earth that tastes!!!!! :bigear:

[alpidarkomama]

I usually put a chopped onion, 1/2 crockpot full of pre-soaked beans, then I cover with water nearly to the top. I've always pre-soaked my beans and never once had gas from them. I let them cook on low overnight. In the morning I put them in the food processor with garlic, salt, and cumin. Then I freeze whatever I don't need for that meal. YUM!

[alpidarkomama]

One more way to cook pinto beans (Tibbie Dunbar's post reminded me) is to mash them up and put some sort of binder in, such as eggs, and some sort of starch (I use oatmeal, cornmeal - we are gluten free but you can use bread crumbs), seasoning and salt and get them to a fairly firm consistency. Them fry them like hamburgers. We use palm oil. They take some practice to keep them firm but they are great once you do. You can flavor them however you want (also use black beans or navy beans) and then add sides that go with the flavorings. I got my recipe from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman (love that cookbook!).Beans are a great blank slate!

 

We make veggie bean burgers like that all the time! I don't even cook them first. I pre-soak them, then toss them in the food processor with onion, garlic, salt, egg, matzo meal or flour, and quick oats (or some other pre-cooked grain - rice, wheat, whatever). I figured the cost and it came to $0.15 per veggie burger (including homemade bun), or $.35 if you have it with LOTS of fixings. Woohoo!

[Orthodox6]

Just in case you need this later. . .

 

:grouphug:

 

 

 

So, I did soak them in total vinegar. :( We'll see how that turns out. They're in the crockpot now with a bit of cilantro, garlic, onions, and some leftover ham. I'll taste and add salt at the end. I'll let you know how they turn out!

[hmvaughan4]

Can I hijack for a sec? I have always wanted to ask this question. Many years ago I did some mission work in Mexico. We were served a wonderful, but very simple meal. It was like mashed pinto beans (completely smooth) mixed with ground beef and topped with the white crumbly cheese. It was served with homemdae tortillas that we sopped up the bean/meat mixture with.

 

Does anyone have any idea what I am talking about? Would you be willing to link me to a recipe? Pretty please!

 

Sounds good!! Here's a recipe that we love for refried beans: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Refried-Beans-Without-the-Refry/Detail.aspx I'm sure you could put them in a food processor or blender to make them smooth, mix with beef, and use quesadilla cheese. I've tried to make tortillas, but I've never been successful. We use the bean recipe for all Mexican dishes.

[Cindy in C-ville]

Just in case you need this later. . .

 

:grouphug:

 

:) :) :) They smell good. We'll see....

[TheCoffeeChick]

A little late to the game - but we love beans. I always cook them with smoked ham hocks, onion, garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Salt them at the end and serve with cornbread & home canned jalopeno peppers and/or a few sprinkles of tabasco sauce. Yummy! I may need to go check the freezer for some ham hocks....

[melissel]

I'm :lurk5: to see how they turned out! If the vinegar thing works for digestibility, I will be SO happy! I think I'll give some black beans a soak today--the kids have been begging for DH's black bean soup, and I have some ham I need to use up too.

 

I miss legumes :crying:

[Cindy in C-ville]

So, the beans were okay, but not great. They tasted little vinegar-y, but I think that I crossed over from cooking them long enough, to cooking them too long. That was more the problem. Still need to play with it to get it right. Any other fail-proof bean tips?