Okie Beans Recipes

OLD FASHIONED BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Place the dried beans in a pot of water covered by a few inches of water and let soak overnight. Drain the beans, place them back in the pot with fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer for one hour, then drain, reserving the liquid. See NOTE.
• In a Dutch oven or other oven-proof pot fry the bacon until crispy then add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.Stir in the tomato sauce, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and bay leaf.Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved bean water and the beans.Bring everything to a simmer for a minute or two to heat it up. In the meantime preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Transfer the Dutch oven with the lid on to the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened, removing the lid during the last 20-30 minutes to help the sauce thicken. NOTE: If at any point during the cooking process too much liquid evaporates and the beans get dry, add a little more of the reserved bean water. The beans themselves can vary from batch to batch and you may end up either needing to add more liquid if the beans are too dry or you may need to bake the beans longer with the lid off if there is too much liquid. Adjust as needed.Add more salt the pepper to taste.Serve immediately or let cool completely and refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• SLOW COOKER METHOD: Follow steps 1 and 2 and then pour everything into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the beans are tender. Open the lid for the last 30 minutes or longer until the sauce has thickened. If the beans are too thick at any point and too much liquid has evaporated, stir in a little extra water.

THE SECRET TO PERFECT OLD FASHIONED PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse the bag of beans well and remove any that look like they are past their prime. If unsure - chuck it.
• Pour the beans into a large bowl and cover with at least 2 inches of water and allow to soak overnight. Alternately, you can boil the beans at a steady boil for about 10 minutes before you begin to cook them. Whether you soak or parboil, pour the water off from this step.
• In a six quart stock pot on medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic until they smell really good and the pieces become translucent.
• Remove the pot from the heat and add the beans, bacon, salt, chicken broth concentrate, one bay leaf and sugar and enough cool clean water to cover the beans by 2 inches. (If you are sensitive to salt, then you can always decrease the amount)
• Heat the beans on medium until they come to a light boil then reduce the heat to low.
• Stir the beans occasionally and don't let them get to a strong boil. Cook until done. I tell doneness by tasting - you could also spoon some out and smash it in your fingers. If it is smashy- through and through - they are done.

PERFECT PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Put the beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water and let soak overnight.
• Drain and rinse the beans, then put them in a large pot. Cover the beans with water and add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, bacon, garlic, bay leaves, onion, bell pepper and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook until the beans are tender, 2 to 3 1/2 hours.

OKIE BEANS

Steps:

• Put beans, onions, shank in a 3 quart dutch oven.
• Add water. More or less to taste.
• Add salt and hot sauce.
• Cover and place in a preheated 250 oven for 8 hours.
• Check after 4 hours and add water if needed.
• When ready to serve, take out ham shanks and remove bones.
• Shred meat with 2 forks and add back to beans.
• Serve with cornbread or homemade biscuits and fried taters.

BEST EVER PINTO BEANS

Steps:

• Cover pinto beans with water in a large bowl. Soak beans for 4 hours, changing water every 30 to 45 minutes. Drain.
• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Add pinto beans, ham hock, and kosher salt to the pot. Pour in more water if needed to cover ingredients by at least 1 inch.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until beans are just tender, 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove ham hock from beans; cut meat from the bone, chop the ham, and return to pot.
• Stir tomato sauce and brown sugar into the beans. Continue to simmer until beans are tender and flavors are blended, about 1 more hour.