Rancho Gordo bean impresario Steve Sando’s quick, easy method for a perfect pot of beans.
Click here to watch Steve demonstrate how to make beans in his You’re Doing It All Wrong video.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 2 hrs, plus 2 to 6 hrs soaking time
Ingredients (5)
- Dried beans
- Chopped onion
- Chopped garlic
- Olive oil or freshly rendered lard
- Salt
Instructions
- Soak your dried beans for 2 to 6 hours.
- Using the pot you’re going to cook the beans in, sauté some onion and garlic (celery and carrot too, if you like) in olive oil or lard until soft.
- Add the beans and their soaking water, making sure the beans are covered by 2 inches of water. Stir and bring to a hard boil.
- Boil the beans for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
- When you start to smell the beans along with the aromatics, you’ll know that the beans are about three-quarters of the way done. Add salt to the pot (about 1 rounded tablespoon per pound of beans) and cook for about 30 minutes more.
- To test if the beans are done, skim a few out with a slotted spoon and blow on them: If the skins wrinkle, they’re done.