Basic Mex Pinto recipe: side for Chili Colorado?

[jjdbike]

Hello folks,

Today I am making a big ole bowl of Chili Con Carne y Papas Colorado. I'm serving with a side of Spanish rice, pintos, and warm tortillas.

I have a bag of Rancho Gordo pintos. Looking for a simple, flavorful recipe that will highlight the pintos and broth without overshadowing or clashing with the chili.

What do you recommend?

Thanks in advance!
JD

[jjdbike]

One of my first authentic local meals here was a plate of carne asada with a side of rice and pintos. The pintos were def the star of the show for me. Firm but tender, flavorful and creamy with rich velvety beab broth. Gave me a whole new appreciation of pintos.
I'd love to have that recipe!
JD

[Oak Smoke]

Good pintos don’t need a lot of help. Where I live there is such a Mexican influence that pintos are served with any meal. In most south Texas cafes you will see them on the breakfast menu. I like to soak mine overnight then rinse them before I put them on the stove. I definitely do not cook them in the soak water. I like to sauté a yellow onion until it’s translucent then add the beans. I’m not a simmer all day proponent. I like to get them boiling and keep them that way until near the end of the cook. I seem to get a richer broth that way. At the end it’s salt and pepper to taste and in all honesty I seldom add pepper. If these were going to be the star of the meal I’d have added some left over brisket or chopped leftover pulled pork to up the protein level but your main dish provides all you need. I know you plan on tortillas but a really good corn bread would go well with this meal too.

[Oak Smoke]

You may find this unusual from a 71 year old man but I do it because that’s the way my mother taught me. Bless her heart of all the things she tried to instill in me this would be the one that I remember. It has always served me well. fzxdoc would be a much better source of that info.

[Willy]

How did your Doc app't go?

[Oak Smoke]

Willy It went great we’re all set up for Sept 5th. Thank you for asking!

[jjdbike]

Good pintos don’t need a lot of help. Where I live there is such a Mexican influence that pintos are served with any meal. In most south Texas cafes you will see them on the breakfast menu. I like to soak mine overnight then rinse them before I put them on the stove. I definitely do not cook them in the soak water. I like to sauté a yellow onion until it’s translucent then add the beans. I’m not a simmer all day proponent. I like to get them boiling and keep them that way until near the end of the cook. I seem to get a richer broth that way. At the end it’s salt and pepper to taste and in all honesty I seldom add pepper. If these were going to be the star of the meal I’d have added some left over brisket or chopped leftover pulled pork to up the protein level but your main dish provides all you need. I know you plan on tortillas but a really good corn bread would go well with this meal too.

Thanks Oak!
Sounds great
JD

[jjdbike]

What are the pros and cons of cooking in the soaking water?
Respectfully,
JD

[jjdbike]

I wound up doing my own version of frijolies ranchera. Turned out well.
Thanks.
JD

[fzxdoc]

jjdbike , how did you end up making your Frijoles Ranchera recipe? Sounds like it was a big hit.

I like several of the bean recipes published on The Homesick Texan's blog. Her one for Sunday Pintos is one that I make quite often, with many of the varieties of Rancho Gordo beans:

https://www.homesicktexan.com/sunday-pinto-beans/

About using the bean soaking water for cooking the beans: not a good idea, say food safety experts. I discussed the reasons why in this post:

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/beans/1463314-soaking-your-beans…-discard-the-water-or-re-use-it?p=1463603#post1463603

In a (somewhat large) nutshell:
Since almost all beans contain some measure of lectin*, to be safe, toss the soaking water, especially when cooking for those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, children, pregnant women, etc.

According to the FDA, it's best to soak the beans for at least 5 hours, discard the soaking water, rinse the soaked beans well, put them in a pot, boil them briskly for several minutes, and then reduce the heat and proceed to cook according to the recipe. It is also fine not to soak beans but to boil them briskly at the beginning of their cook to inactivate the toxins.

Cooking beans in an Instant Pot is also a safe way to cook beans, since pressure cooking utilizes very high temperatures. What is not very safe is to cook beans in a slow cooker (CrockPot), since it does not reach the boiling temperatures necessary to inactivate the toxins. (Most slow cookers cook in the 180° to 190° range.)

So Oak Smoke 's Mama was right to discard the bean soaking liquid. She was also right about, I imagine, a host of other things as well, as Mamas usually are.

Kathryn

*Lectins are widely occurring, sugar-binding proteins, but some of them may become toxic at high levels.
Among the lectins known to have toxic effects is phytohemagglutinin (PHA), which occurs at high levels in the seeds of legumes (beans). The poison can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

[Bkhuna]

I like to throw a small ham hock in the bean pot. It gives a nice rich meaty flavor to the beans whether refried or served as is.