Big ol’ Pot of Black Beans!
This foolproof recipe yields perfectly tender and delicious black beans. Make a pot and enjoy black beans all week! No need to soak the beans before using. Recipe yields 6 cups beans (the equivalent of 4 cans); you can freeze leftovers or cut the recipe in half.
The black veabs are a great side dish in SO many contexts. A few great options:
Dinner burritos & eggy breakfast burritos
Casseroles, like enchiladas or roasted veggie dishes
Chilaquiles!
Quick stovetop quesadillas, you know the drill
Tacos
Burrito bowls with brown rice, sweet potatoes, avocado, whatever you like!
Salads
INGREDIENTS
1 pound black beans (that whole bag in your FEED Bin is a pound!)
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, but whole
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
One strip of citrus peel, about 2 inches long by ½ inch wide
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (omit or reduce if sensitive to spice)
8 cups of water, more as needed
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, optional
1 tablespoon citrus juice
Directions:
Place the beans in a fine mesh colander or sieve and rinse very well. Pour the beans into a large Dutch oven or saucepan (4 quarts or larger in capacity).
Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, salt, cumin, citrus peel and red pepper flakes to the pot. Pour in the water.
Cover the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove the lid and reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Give the beans a stir to make sure none are stuck to the bottom of the pot, and set a timer for 1 hour. Leave the pot uncovered and adjust the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer (you should see several small bubbles popping to the surface at any given moment).
Once the timer goes off, test a couple of beans by using a fork to press them against the side of the pot. If they’re easy to press through, taste a few (carefully! they’re hot!) to see if they’re sufficiently plump, tender and delicious.
Otherwise, continue cooking, testing in 15 to 30 minute intervals as needed, until they’re done. If you’re running low on liquid, add water in 1-cup increments so the beans are covered at all time.
Once the beans are very tender and tasty, you can increase the heat a little to reduce the cooking liquid into a more gravy-like consistency, about 5 to 15 minutes (it will continue to thicken up as the beans cool).
Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully remove the orange zest and both bay leaves. Use a fork to press the garlic against the side of the bowl to break it up. Add the cilantro, if using, and lime juice. Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt, if needed. Use as desired.
Allow leftover beans to cool to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze leftover beans for several months.