Ranch Beans with Bacon
Ranch Beans with BaconFrijoles RancherosTypical of northern Mexico's home-style cooking, where ranches and farms are prevalent, these tasty beans go especially well with barbecued meats. Here in the United States, I serve them with Mexican-American Corn Bread and Yucatán Cabbage Salsa.
Ingrediënten
Makes 8 servings
- 1 pound pinto beans
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano crumbled
- ½ pound sliced bacon cut crossways in 1⁄2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño chiles stemmed, seeded, veins removed, and chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 14-ounce can ready-cut tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper or to taste
Instructies
- Pick over dried beans carefully and remove any pebbles or debris.
- Place in a large strainer or colander and rinse thoroughly under cold tap water.
- Put the beans in a large pot, and add fresh tap water to cover by 2 inches.
- Add the bay leaf and oregano.
- Bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium high heat, then turn heat to low, cover and simmer 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender and the broth begins to thicken.
- (Add additional hot water during cooking, if the liquid thickens before the beans are tender.
- Do not let beans boil dry.
- )
- Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 3 minutes.
- Add the bacon to the beans.
- Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat, and cook the onion and cumin in the remaining bacon fat, stirring, about 1 minute.
- Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper.
- Cook, uncovered, about 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato mixture to the beans and cook, stirring frequently, over low heat until the broth is thick, about 10 minutes.
- Add salt, if needed.
- (The amount of salt in the bacon will determine if extra salt is needed.
- )
Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:
Serve hot, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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