Only thing that’s mandatory in this is 1 bottle of Shiner Bock and beans :-)
I basically riff off of Meathead’s Texas Beans recipe, but I don’t bother measuring or worrying too much about precise ingredients ..... today, this is what I did
12 oz Rancho Gordo black beans
1 bottle of Shiner Bock
1 quart chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp (about) black pepper
1/2 tsp (about) ground cumin
4 strips bacon
SLC rib meat .... about 6 bones worth
do all this in a heavy pot or Dutch oven
About the beans ..... so, 4 oz of dried beans is equivalent to a 15 oz can of beans. You could just put 3 cans of beans in this "recipe". I have found that with Rancho Gordo beans, I don’t need to soak them. In fact, when I soak them, I end up overcooking them. But if you are using standard dried beans at the store, soak them for 12 hours. Or just buy canned beans.
If you are using dried beans, then by all means soak first, then add to this recipe when beans are called for.
About the spices ..... I don’t measure this precisely. I eye ball the pepper, cumin and garlic. That seems like about what I put in, so that’s the measurements.
Shiner Bock is the best choice for Texas beans ... but literally any inexpensive lager will work.
About the meat ..... so I pretty much always use some bacon, but you could do this without bacon if you don’t have any. Some sort of meat is good. Ground beef, ham, rib or pork shoulder, some lamb or rabbit or leftover chicken. Whatever. Just get some meat in there.
How I do it
Chop the bacon (or whatever meat you are using) into small dices, cook in some oil (or butter or shortening, whatever you have) until rendered and starting to get brown/crispy. Toss the garlic in .... if you are using onion, do the onion first .... I didn’t have an onion today. Cook the onion, if you are using it, until wilted and translucent. Then add the garlic, cook until aromatic .... about 2 minutes. Then add the dry herbs and cook another minute, or so, stirring constantly.
Now add the beer and deglaze all the good bits on the bottom of your pot.
Now add everything else .... beans, diced tomatoes, chicken stock. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes ..... gotta let the beans know who is the boss! ..... then bring down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the beans are tender. For Rancho Gordo or soaked beans, that is about 3 hours, give or take. For canned beans, just simmer for 45-60 minutes to get the flavors to mingle.
About 10 minutes before the end, add some diced up peppers ... jalapeño, poblano, whatever. It gives a bit of crunch and zip to the beans.
I basically riff off of Meathead’s Texas Beans recipe, but I don’t bother measuring or worrying too much about precise ingredients ..... today, this is what I did
12 oz Rancho Gordo black beans
1 bottle of Shiner Bock
1 quart chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp (about) black pepper
1/2 tsp (about) ground cumin
4 strips bacon
SLC rib meat .... about 6 bones worth
do all this in a heavy pot or Dutch oven
About the beans ..... so, 4 oz of dried beans is equivalent to a 15 oz can of beans. You could just put 3 cans of beans in this "recipe". I have found that with Rancho Gordo beans, I don’t need to soak them. In fact, when I soak them, I end up overcooking them. But if you are using standard dried beans at the store, soak them for 12 hours. Or just buy canned beans.
If you are using dried beans, then by all means soak first, then add to this recipe when beans are called for.
About the spices ..... I don’t measure this precisely. I eye ball the pepper, cumin and garlic. That seems like about what I put in, so that’s the measurements.
Shiner Bock is the best choice for Texas beans ... but literally any inexpensive lager will work.
About the meat ..... so I pretty much always use some bacon, but you could do this without bacon if you don’t have any. Some sort of meat is good. Ground beef, ham, rib or pork shoulder, some lamb or rabbit or leftover chicken. Whatever. Just get some meat in there.
How I do it
Chop the bacon (or whatever meat you are using) into small dices, cook in some oil (or butter or shortening, whatever you have) until rendered and starting to get brown/crispy. Toss the garlic in .... if you are using onion, do the onion first .... I didn’t have an onion today. Cook the onion, if you are using it, until wilted and translucent. Then add the garlic, cook until aromatic .... about 2 minutes. Then add the dry herbs and cook another minute, or so, stirring constantly.
Now add the beer and deglaze all the good bits on the bottom of your pot.
Now add everything else .... beans, diced tomatoes, chicken stock. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes ..... gotta let the beans know who is the boss! ..... then bring down to a simmer and cover. Cook until the beans are tender. For Rancho Gordo or soaked beans, that is about 3 hours, give or take. For canned beans, just simmer for 45-60 minutes to get the flavors to mingle.
About 10 minutes before the end, add some diced up peppers ... jalapeño, poblano, whatever. It gives a bit of crunch and zip to the beans.
Comment