# Pinto Beans



## dailyrecipes (Aug 14, 2005)

*Pinto Beans*


4 c Water
1 ts Salt
2 c Pinto Or Black Beans; 1 lb
1 ts Cumin Seed
1/2 c Onion; Chopped, 1 Md
2 ea Cloves Garlic; Crushed
1/4 c Vegetable Oil
1 ea Bacon; Slice


Mix the water, beans, and onion in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Cover and heat to boiling. Boil 2 minutes and remove from the heat; let stand for 1 hour. Add just enough water to the beans to cover. Stir in the remaining ingredients and heat to boiling. Cover and reduce the heat. Boil gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, about 2 hours, (add water during the cooking time if necessary); drain the beans. Beans can be covered and refrigerated up to 10 days.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 14, 2005)

Looks like a good bean recipe to me.  For those who haven't tried this standard fare, ya just don't know what your misisng.

Seeeeya, Goodweed of the North


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## Dove (Aug 14, 2005)

If I drained a pot of beans I'd probably face the fireing squad at dawn. DH thinks thats the best part..other than cornbread.

Dove


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## SierraCook (Aug 14, 2005)

Dove said:
			
		

> If I drained a pot of beans I'd probably face the fireing squad at dawn. DH thinks thats the best part..other than cornbread.
> 
> Dove


 
I have never drained a pot of beans, either. Not to say that it cannot be done.  Cornbread is always #1 in my book.


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## Daphne duLibre (Aug 15, 2005)

dailyrecipes said:
			
		

> *Pinto Beans*
> 
> 
> 4 c Water
> ...



All systems go on this except that a cast iron Dutch oven is a bad choice for "boiling" stock. Cast iron rusts, oxidizes, in boiled stock. 

A better option is a stainless stock pot. 

I don't trust aluminum anything for cooking. Alum. oxide seems not good for human consumption -- that and copper pots. 

OK -- stainless, ceramic. Cast-iron is good for stews, but the stock needs to be mostly meat, oil, acid stock/brine. Watery stocks in cast iron just seem to get "tinny" tasting from the leaching of iron into the boiling water. 

Am I wrong on this???


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## GarlicGoddess (Aug 15, 2005)

Thanks for the recipe.  I wanted to tell y'all that this (minus the oil and bacon), it how I have made my pinto beans for years.  People rave and  can't figure out how they are so good.  I wonder why people still used canned beans when this is so cheap and so easy?


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## Robo410 (Aug 15, 2005)

for some reason two hours of simmering bothers a bunch of "cooks" who can barely nuke a hot pocket.  

anyway...love my beans...got two types in my fridge right now, with a pot of greens.  

If your cast iron is seasoned, anything will cook well in it.  Copper is great if it is heavy and lined, aluminum is great if it is heavy, dense, anodized or polished (like magnalite).  forget the urban legends, the real danger is cheap cookware.  GO to a professional kitchen and see what they're cooking with...that's what you want.


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## marmalady (Aug 15, 2005)

'Dutch oven' doesn't always mean it's cast iron; le Crueset makes a dutch oven that's porcelin coated.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Aug 15, 2005)

The bean liquor, as it is properly called, contains great nutritional value and contributes to the texture by wetting the mouth, which makes the beans easier to swallow.  It also carries the flavorings, such as onion, salt, and any oils from spices and herbs.  

That being said, too much liquid turns beans into bean soup.  It also can mess you up when you're trying to make a flavored bean dish like baked beans.  In my baked beans, I add mollases or maple syrup, again more liquid.  If the bean liquor is not drained off, then I have too much liquid which dilutes the flavor.

IMHO, the amount of liquid drained or saved is determined by how the beans are to be used, and by personal prefference.  I don't throw away the liquid from beans as it contains valuable nutrients and soluable fiber.  I just use it for something else.  It works great when added to BBW sauce, or sweetened and used to glaze a good pork roast, or even to flavor and then cook brats or hot dogs in.  I mean, who doen't like beans 'n wieners? 

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Shunka (Aug 15, 2005)

This is from a dear friend that passed away almost 2 years ago. He would let me know when he was making these a couple of days in advance so I could make up plenty of flour tortillas for him. *HUGH'S BEANS* 

2c. dry pinto beans
1/4 lb. seasoning bacon
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 6oz. can of tomato sauce
Wash the beans and let soak in cold water over-night. Drain put in a 6 qt. or larger pressure cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients along with enough water to cover and bring up to pressure. Pressure for 45 minutes at 15 lbs.


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## jennyema (Aug 15, 2005)

Cooking anything really acidic in cast iron, even seasoned cast iron, is not a good idea.  Uncoated cast iron is not nonreactive and will leach iron into your food, discoloring it and leaving that weird iron taste in it.


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## Alix (Aug 15, 2005)

Um, did I miss where it said CI? Or are dutch ovens just assumed to be cast iron? Just wondering, mine is actually glass so I am a bit befuddled.


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## Michael in FtW (Aug 15, 2005)

A *TRUE* Dutch Oven *is* cast iron - it has 3 short legs on the bottom and a flat lid with a lip so the coals don't slide off the top. The term, in modern usage, has been basterdized to mean just about any pot with a lid that has a large diameter, short sides, and 5-8 quarts in size.

The enameled cast iron pots make by Le Cruset are "technically" _*French Ovens*_. 

From my experiences growing up cooking in properly seasoned cast iron .... it is not reactive and you don't get any "funky" metalic taste when making something even as acidic as chili. The seasoning is a layer of polamorized oil which provides a non-reactive barrier between the metal and the food, similar to the enamel layer on top of the cast iron in Le Cruset. The thing is to not store it in cast iron.


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## marmalady (Aug 15, 2005)

Polamerized? Oh, My!  


ANd you're right, the really, really well seasoned cast irons don't react with anything - DH even threw one in the dishwasher; it was a little dry, but rubbed it with new oil and it was fine.


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