RG lovers: which bean would you choose to make “just beans”?

[Mosca]

Pretty straightforward, but with a little explanation: I make baked beans, and I make bean soups, and I make rice and beans, and pasta and beans. In all of these, I always include some kind of meat: chicken, pork, beef, whatever. I want to make just beans.

I know that I can use ANY of the beans to just make some beans with onion and garlic and olive oil. My question to you is, which one would YOU pick to do that?

[Panhead John]

Following……I was gifted some RG Cranberry beans from 58limited This will be my first ever RG cook and 1st time tasting them. I don’t remember ever cooking beans without some type of meat in it though….

[rodkeary]

Hmmm….. “I don’t remember ever cooking beans without some kind of meat in it though”
Isn’t that what they call chili in 49 of the 50 states?

[DaveD]

I'm a ginormous fan of black beans, and have done them meat-free as you describe a couple of times, using their Midnight Black variety. Absolutely fabulous. Looking forward to seeing what you (and Panhead John) come out with.

[Mosca]

I just used my Midnight Black beans to make a black bean soup! They are fantastic beans.

[MsTwiggy]

When i make black beans I always cook them with a bay leaf, cinnamon stick and some frozen orange juice concentrate. I have heard this is “cuban” but have no idea if that is true. 🔥🔥🐿️

[Draznnl]

What seasonings do you want to use? For instance, I find black beans kind of boring without some hot peppers or flakes.

[Mosca]

Garlic and onion. Mrs Mosca can’t do any pepper stuff, I add that myself afterward.

[Draznnl]

Was just able to get back to this, sorry Mosca I defer to fzxdoc on IP cooking times. I’ve only used mine twice in three years. I agree with her that larger beans are probably better for a mild, just beans recipe. I also tend more to red or pink beans.

[fzxdoc]

Draznnl , I think every cook/chef has to work out their own IP times for various beans. I keep a detailed record of each one of my bean cooks, listing the bean variety and cook time so that, as I make modifications, I can see where I was coming from in the first place. If I don't write that stuff down, it flies right out of my brain.

Back in the day I started with 20 minutes High with immediate pressure release, a flop. Now the time is 45-65min High with NPR, depending on the bean/age.
K.

[fzxdoc]

When I make "just beans"--cooked beans to be used in any dish from salads to soups to stews, I go with a kidney/cannellini size of bean. I save the smaller beans for specific dishes; Domingo Rojo for red beans and rice, Pintos for cowboy beans or refried beans, Midnight Black beans for Mexican dishes and salads, etc.

I do "just beans", unsoaked, in the Instant Pot with a teaspoon each of granulated garlic and onion powder and 5 to 6 cups of water. Usually 45 to 55 minutes on High with NPR works best at my altitude (3700 ft). I add salt after the cook is completed.

A note about IP cook times: Rick Bayless cooks his beans in an Instant pot on High for 1 hour with NPR, and he's in Chicago. He is the only chef/cook I have found who uses longer IP cook times like I do. I do prefer creamy beans to toothy beans, but if I'm going to use "just beans" in another hot dish like a soup or stew later on, then I back down the IP cook time.

I'm testing adding salt and baking soda in advance for my 2024 IP bean cooks, and the jury is still out for me on using those ingredients for "just beans". I need to test those two additional ingredients on several bean varieties before I let into into my "just beans" cooking routine.

RG has a lot of kidney bean-sized options in white and red bean varieties. Among my faves for this are Kansas City Pinks, Marcella, Cranberry, Mayocoba, or Borlotti. My most fave RG kidney bean wannabe (wannabean?) is the Hidatsa Red.

My only exception to the mid-size requirement for "just beans" is the RG Pinquito. I could eat those little beans every day of the week.

Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

Midnight Blacks are small, Mosca , and I IP them for shorter times. I also IP fresh beans just delivered from RG for shorter times. If I've had the bean for a year or two, the longer times work better.

BTW, I just added a note about Rick Bayless to my post in an edit.

Most online recipes IP beans for 20 min or so with pressure release either immediately or after about 10-15 min. I tried that back when I first got into RG beans and those babies were rocks, at least at my altitude.

K.

[fzxdoc]

Also, I never soak RG beans. Were your Midnight Blacks soaked? Just curious.

Edited to add: I just saw on another topic that you started that you don't soak RG beans either.

K.

[fzxdoc]

I actually had started adding salt to the cooking water this year, Mosca , after reading the Cooks Illustrated reference that Kenji cites in his article. Thanks to the link for the Kenji article, though. It was good reading!

What I'm iffy about is using baking soda, which Cooks Illustrated also recommends. Steve Sando says it's not necessary. He also doesn't salt his beans before cooking, or at least he didn't when I first started following his recommendations back in the day.

K.

[acorgihouse]

I like their cassoulet beans, but I LOVE the Christmas limas. Take with the proverbial grain of salt, I can microwave a bag of frozen baby limas, and eat for lunch, no problem. Love them. So, I put in some chopped/minced onion or shallot, garlic, and a bit of shredded or chopped carrot if I have. Some chicken broth. In the IP, I usually just push the bean setting, which I think is 30 mins? but I often just do on the stove, if IP is in closet, in dishwasher, otherwise involved... On the stove, about an hour of simmer and they are good. I throw in a bit of rosemary, usually, but if I don't have rosemary I've used dried Herbes de Provence. I'm a terrible cooking example, as I rarely measure anything, but I just throw it in there until it seems right.
There is a recipe, in the cookbook thing Kathryn posted recently from RG, that uses the cassoulet beans with some veg and feta cheese, I've tagged it but not made it yet. I think it has potential.

[mnavarre]

My go to for frijoles de la olla are Myacaoba/Peruano, but I never buy those from RG just because I can get them reasonably fresh from the local supermercados for $4-5 per pound less.

From RG my go to are either Ayacote Negro or Morado or King City Pinks if I just want beans. But it really depends on what I intend to do with them. But from RG you really can't go wrong with Ayacotes or KCPs, Cranberry beans are wonderful also.

So from RG it's probably Ayacote, because I can get them locally on the reg. And just for a pot o' beans it's Preuano, because I like 'em better than Pintos.

[CaptainMike]

Pinquintos and make Santa Maria beans.

[MsTwiggy]

CaptainMike can you elaborate on Santa Maria beans? Tell me more!! 🫘 🔥🔥🐿️

[Bkhuna]

King City Pink Beans are my plain bean favorite.

[ecowper]

If I want just beans, it’s Pinquitos all the way! Here’s my “recipe” for just beans

8 oz Pinquitos (not soaked)
6 cups chicken stock

1. Put them in a pot
2. Bring to a boil
3. Turn down to bare simmer
4. Cook like that until beans are done, about 3 hours
5. While cooking add warm water as needed to keep the beans covered

Serve with tri-tip and crusty bread and salad. Or side to Mexican dinner. Or just eat some

[CaptainMike]

K.I.S.S.

I like to sauté up some diced bacon and ham, then add diced onions and poblanos for my version of SM beans.

And WTH is a "crusty salad"? Is that a side dish for crusty old non-com's?

[ecowper]

CaptainMike if I am specifically making SM style beans, I do similar to you. But if I am making “just beans” I do above.

[bbqLuv]

Pinto beans and black beans are best for chili. Oh Yeah.

[Panhead John]

I see the acid is kicking in……

[bbqLuv]

You must be tripping......

[Old Glory]

I use pinto beans mostly. I don't really have a recipe but I saute diced onions, carrots, bell pepper, and garlic. Sometimes jalapenos and/or tomatoes. Add chicken stock (or Better than bullion and water), enough to cover beans and simmer until done. Feel free to add whatever spices you like kind of like a blank canvas.

I usually soak.

[MsTwiggy]

Pinto are my favorite 😍 🔥🔥🐿️

[Starsky]

Black beans

[Texas Larry]

We make “just beans” regularly. SWMBO likes them simple. It’s pintos (RG of course), ham hock, a little onion and maybe half a carrot.

[au4stree]

Pinto beans with onion, little garlic and a smoked hog jowl(or bacon, country ham). Cornbread on the side. This is one of my favorite meals.

[Texas Larry]

+1 on the cornbread for us too!