I made Stovetop Black Beans w/ Shallots & Garlic the other day. I tend to think of summer as being beans and rice season. We're not quite there yet because the fresh produce that I ordinarily grow during the summer is still knee high to a pig's eye! But I can't help myself. The weather in Wisconsin is oscillating between 70 degrees and snowing with a few thunderstorms and hail thrown in the mix for good measure. Although the tulips are starting to sprout outside of my window and I'm feeling in a summery mood. So, I'm endeavoring once again to make stovetop beans!
A lot of the time I like to make beans in the Crock Pot because it's pretty much entirely hands-off and requires very little time and effort. Although there's nothing quite like the scent of slowly simmering delicious food. So, while this entire recipe can be substituted for the slow cooker in the same ratios, I've decided to go the old fashioned way and am making Stovetop Pinto Beans today.
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This is not the entirely of the beans today. I've used almost all of my storage containers for pet food that has filled almost the whole of my freezer! So, I'm down to the tiny containers. This is about half of the total amounts of pinto beans. If you only want to make a handful of them for a single dish or something like bean dip, just cut the recipe in half and you'll be set! Although I usually make a big enough batch to last about a week in different variations of meals.
I find it easier to make a larger amount and re-use it for leftovers throughout the week easier than making an entirely new dish or ordering out for the rest of the week. But this recipe can absolutely be scaled up and down depending on your needs! This will not cut down the cooking time, though, it will only affect the yield.
Variations of Stovetop Pinto Beans
I'm a huge fan of making beans. They're a lot simpler to make than most people realize and far more flavorful than beans in the can! They're absolutely one of those dishes where, once you start making them for yourself, you'll never want to go back to breaking out the can opener again. Plus, you're able to mix and match in your own seasonings and flavor profiles to taste. Absolutely all of the spices can be used interchangeably depending on what you have on hand. So, it's easy to use the base ratios and time frames as a jumping off point and then make it your own.
These Stovetop Pinto Beans consist of dried pinto beans, garlic, yellow onion, freshly squeezed lime juice, coconut oil, and bay leaves. I've spiced these today with a hefty amount of cumin, coriander, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Although feel free to mix and match in your own seasoning to taste.
Add the beans and all of the other ingredients to a large pot with 6 cups of water.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 6 hours, or until tender. This is typically right before they begin to split open.How old the beans are will make the cooking time vary. I like to cook the beans a little bit longer so that they mash a little bit smoother. However, a firmer bean will typically cook in 6 hours. A dryer bean might take 6-8 hours. And really old beans may never soften entirely.Soaking the beans overnight will also reduce the cooking time to about 2-4 hours if you have the foresight to do so.
When the beans have reached the desired consistency, if you still have extra water in the pot, either drain and reserve the liquid or simmer out the remainder of the water.If you choose to do the simmer out method, stir constantly as the water level diminishes, or you will burn the beans on the bottom of the pot. Otherwise just strain the beans into another container.
If you want to make no-fry refried beans or more of a bean dip, remove the bay leaves and mash with a potato masher. You can also pulse in a food processor or puree entirely, if you want a smoother consistency.This might require more water. If you reserved some of the cooking water, add this back into the beans as needed. Otherwise, just add more tap water until you've reached the desired consistency.
Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
For more tips and tricks, I have an entire article on The Fundamentals of Stovetop Black Beans. This article can be particularly helpful if you want to soak the beans overnight beforehand. I also have another article on The Fundamentals of Slow Cooker Black Beans if you'd prefer to use a crock pot, instead of the stove. This takes 8 about hours, but is hands off and doesn't require soaking the beans.
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