Who doesn’t love a big ol bowl of steaming hot, creamy, smoky Pinto Beans? Seriously, is there a better comfort food out there? I don’t think so. Besides that, I learned The Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans the other day and I’m sharing it with you today! Thanks Mona!
So what’s The Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans ? What could make a plain ol bowl of beans tastier? You mean, you don’t know? I'll tell you what my friend Mona told me...
One of the Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans
Mona asked me if I have ever made Pintos with the addition of the jarred broth concentrate. My answer? No, as a matter of fact, I haven’t. “You won’t be sorry”, she said.
She is right. I’m not sorry. Not even a little bit.
I JUST bought a jar that I found at the grocery store when I ran out of my little chicken bouillon cubes. Goodbye bouillon cubes - forever. I’m including a photo from Amazon of the bouillon that I used and I can vouch for it. You might have a different type of bouillon base (the creamy kind) that you like. Let me know if you do.
If you want to click the photo, you’ll go right through to Amazon and you can check the price (affiliate link). You can find it at your local grocery too - of course, it won’t be delivered to your door that way.
TIPS AND TRICKS FOR The Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans
- The bag will tell you that you can soak your beans OR you can parboil them. I usually soak. My friend, Mona, says she always just parboils for about 10 minutes. I think either works.
- An important thing to understand is that good beans take some time- it doesn’t matter what method you use - they take time.
- Just as a general rule of thumb, 1 cup of dried beans makes 3 cups cooked. A usual serving is ½ cup.
- Most recipes indicate that it is ok to add salt during cooking, I usually do. There is an old saying among plenty of old cooks say that salt while cooking makes the beans tough. I have never noticed that but just wanted you to be aware. My recipes says to add salt for cooking because, honey, beans with no salt - eww.
REGARDING SALT:
- You may have cooked beans yourself and had them to never completely cook up - and then blamed the salt. The truth is - you probably had old beans. Beans have a long shelf life - but it isn’t FOREVER. Use beans within about 2 years. They are better if you use them within a year.
- The second most important thing to understand is that good beans require you to build flavor. Just throwing in some bacon or chicken broth won’t work. You MUST season with salt before serving (and hopefully while cooking - but that is up to you). Beans with flavor are delicious BUT Beans without salt are YUCK!
- How firm you like beans is a matter of personal preference BECAUSE some people like them really mushy and some people like them more firm. You decide how you like them.
- Beans are usually even better the next day - so refrigerate if possible and eat the next day.
- If you are vegetarian, simply leave off the bacon. You might want to try a few drops of liquid smoke.
TO COOK OLD FASHIONED PINTO BEANS IN THE CROCK POT.
- Soak the beans overnight in the crock of the crock pot.
- In the morning, pour off the water from the beans and discard it. Sort through the beans and remove any that don’t look right.
- Place beans back in the crock pot and cover with 2 inches of clean water and add garlic and onion (you don’t need to cook them first) and proceed with step 4 as listed above starting at “add the…”.
- Set crock pot on low and cook for 8-10 hours or until beans are tender.
TO COOK OLD FASHIONED PINTO BEANS IN THE PRESSURE COOKER
- Follow the instructions in the recipe above for soaking and then saute the onions and garlic in the bottom of your pressure cooker.
- Continue with step 4 above.
- Bring pressure cooker to high pressure and heat at high pressure for 25 minutes.
- Allow to slowly depressurize.
- When pressure is released, remove lid and check the beans for tenderness. If they aren’t quite as tender as you like, replace the lid and cook for another 5 minutes at full pressure. Repeat checking beans until they are as tender as you like.
WHAT IS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PINTO BEANS?
Do you have a recipe that calls for pinto beans but you don't LIKE pinto beans? Try one of these other beans that have a lighter flavor and thinner skin, you might like that better!
- Cannellini beans (I have a recipe called "How to cook canned Cannellini beans"
- Navy Beans
- White Beans
CAN PINTO BEANS BE FROZEN?
Yes, after you cook your pinto beans, feel free to freeze them. When you thaw them, they might be a little bit more mushy but they will still taste delicious!
CAN PINTO BEANS BE COOKED AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, pintos keep in the refrigerator just fine and even taste better on the second day!
WHAT GOES WITH PINTO BEANS?
You will definitely want some Southern Cornbread or Mexican Cornbread with your pinto beans.
Then, of course, there is Collard Greens and chicken and dumplings
How about Banana Pudding? All of these are delicious and perfect southern meal favorites?
HOW CAN I EASILY MAKE PINTO BEANS?
Follow this recipe for how to make canned pinto beans?
HOW DO I MAKE PINTO BEANS WITHOUT MEAT?
So simple! Use the Better than Bouillon that is vegetarian and leave off the bacon. Instead, add a few drops of liquid smoke and your beans will taste like GOLD!
MORE PINTO BEANS RECIPES FROM LOAVES AND DISHES!
How to Cook Canned Pinto Beans
How to Cook Pinto Beans on the Stovetop
Would You Love to Cook the PERFECT Southern Dinner?
IMAGINE YOU, COOKING THESE! YOU CAN DO IT TOO!
Served with (choose one)
Oxtails makes a perfect dinner with beans! or
And…
Add A little Yum Yum Sauce
Deviled Eggs made with this Easy Peel Hard Boiled Egg
And finish it all off with...
YA’LL HELP ME OUT NOW, YA HEAR?
Please leave me a 5 star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 comment below in the comment section, all right? I would LOVE to know if you made this recipe or even if you are planning to! Of course, head on over to Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram and tag me with some photos of your creation!
I can’t wait!
Ya’ll know I love your comments!! ❤
THE RECIPE FOR The Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans
The Secret to Perfect Old Fashioned Pinto Beans
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz bag of pinto bean
- 2 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion - diced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 slices of thick cut applewood smoked bacon
- 1 teaspoon salt (less if you are sensitive)
- 4 teaspoon chicken broth concentrate
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp granulated white sugar
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- The bag will tell you that you can soak your beans OR you can parboil them. I usually soak. Some people Parboil for 10 minutes. I think either works.
- An important thing to understand is that good beans take some time- it doesn’t matter what method you use - they take time.
- Just as a general rule of thumb, 1 cup of dried beans makes 3 cups cooked. A usual serving is ½ cup.
- Most recipes indicate that it is ok to add salt during cooking, I usually do. There is an old saying among plenty of old cooks say that salt while cooking makes the beans tough. I have never noticed that but just wanted you to be aware. My recipes says to add salt for cooking because, honey, beans with no salt - eww.
Nutrition
A VERSE TO SHARE
As I am writing this, I am contemplating a BIG HIKE that I will do this coming weekend. By the time you read this, THE HIKE will be over but for me, right now as I write this, the hike is in the future.
This weekend, my old college girlfriends and I are hiking Mt. LeConte which is 5 miles straight up into the heavens. We will be staying overnight at a cabin at the top that has No electric and No water. There are No cell phone towers. It will be Just us and the great outdoors. I am praying, "Please God, no bears. I will only have one change of underwear".
TEXT MESSAGES
The number of text messages that have chimed back and forth between NC, TN and KY is really unbelievable. We have been planning this trip for MONTHS and we have discussed EVERYTHING that can be discussed - shoes, socks, underwear, bras, back packs, food, water, broken toes.
This is a hike to commemorate our 50th birthdays. I mean, seriously, if you can brave a 5 mile high mountain, you can brave 50, right? Right!.
What does all of that have to do with a verse to share? A lot.
WHAT DOES ALL OF THAT HAVE TO DO WITH A VERSE TO SHARE?
I’ve been praying about this trip too. Praying that I’ll have the stamina to make it. Praying that my junk knee will hold out. Praying that my clumsy self doesn’t tumble off the mountain. Praying that I make it to the top.
The main thing I need to remember is WHO has my back. Not only do I have a gang of 10 of my bestest friends in the whole world. I’ve got Jesus by my side. He walked on water, he saved the masses, he turned 2 loaves into 7, he healed the sick and most importantly, he rose from the dead - he saved us all. Therefore, there is no way I can be lost - right? My tiny little struggles are nothing that he can’t handle.
HOPEFULLY
Hopefully, by the time you read this, I will be safely back home - hugging Mr. Loaves and Dishes, chatting with my kids on the phone, cooking up something in my kitchen and playing with my new puppy Bad Leroy Brown.
In times like this, remember Psalm 32 Verse 8.
One translation:
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
and I will counsel you with my loving eye on you
Another Translation:
The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life and I will advise you and watch over you”.
Either one, I’ll take it Lord. Amen.
Diane Grover says
I too have used this chicken and beef broth you talked about. I have even used the chicken to make noodles without any other chicken broth. They had a very natural chicken flovor. I love using it.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Diane! Thanks for the support. I've used it a lot too and I think it's pretty darn good.
Felicia says
I’m vegan and this very brand makes a “no chicken” bouillon and my meat eating family raves over my pintos. This of course would work for the vegetarian who wouldn’t want a chicken based broth or bacon. I never cared for greens or pintos much until after I became vegetarian/vegan. I think the “wrong” type of meats you mentioned earlier may have just ruined it for me.
I’ll definitely try them with the other added ingredients and thanks so much for the information on the salt and tenderness of beans!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Felicia! I didn't much care for beans either until I was a vegetarian for seven years in my early 20's. Now they are a favorite food! :). I love the no meat concentrates from this company too!
Donna says
I'm from East Tennessee, so of course grew up eating 'soup' beans. We always make our beans using side meat (best beans in the world!) I haven't tried them in the pressure cooker but I think I will!
Wendi Spraker says
Quick and easy in the pressure cooker! I learned this Thanksgiving that all country meat isn't the same in beans! I used country ham instead of bacon or fat back or side meat - and they just weren't as good. I'll never do that again! 🙂
Rose says
Really really good beans! The only change I made was to cook the bacon before adding. I waited until the next day and they were better. I served them with salt, diced onion and some chow chow. That's how Cracker Barrel serves them.
Wendi Spraker says
Awww!!! Rose!!! You made my day! Thanks for letting me know!!
Brenda says
Do you make Chow Chow? I am seeking a recipe.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Brenda- I don't right now but I can certainly be working on one! I'll do just that!
Mary says
Are you suppose to cover the beans while cooking in low
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Mary! I don't cover mine. You can though, if you do be very careful because they like to bubble up.
Regina says
Do you but the bacon in raw?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Regina,
Yes, place the bacon in raw. It will cook right along with the beans and impart that delicious smokey baconey flavor right into the beans! (I always avoid the pieces of cooked bacon in the final bean product - but I have a son in law who loves it - so to each his own).
JD says
I fry the bacon and then saute onion and garlic in the grease. Dump it all in the beans. Mom insisted that beans aren't really seasoned without some bacon grease.That is country cookin' .
Rprice says
I have a small crockpot (4qt) how would I adjust to cook in a smaller crockpot?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi! Thanks for visiting Loaves and Dishes! Your question really depends on how much finished beans you want to have? In general, 1 cup of dried beans makes 3 cups cooked. A usual serving is ½ cup. So, if you are looking to make 3 total cooked cups of beans I would do something like this.... tsp olive oil
1 cup dried beans
1 tsp olive oil
1/4- 1/2 small yellow onion - diced
1 cloves garlic - minced
1 slice of thick cut applewood smoked bacon
1/3 tsp salt
1 tsp chicken broth concentrate
1 bay leaf
Then follow the instructions for crockpot cooking. Hope that helps! Wendi
DARA says
If cooking in the crockpot, could you cook on high for 4-6 instead of low for 8-10?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Dara,
I haven't tried this before, but my gut tells me that you could. I guess you could try it and see what happens! If you would, drop back in and let me know how it went! 🙂 Thank you for visiting and for asking!
Kendra says
Approximately how many servings does this make? Wondering if I need to double the recipe for my family of four.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Kendra,
The servings kind of depends on how you will use the beans! If you are each eating a big bowl of beans with seconds for everyone then you might want to make a double batch. If everyone will have a typical 1/3 or 1/2 cup serving - then this should be sufficient. (They do freeze pretty good if you make more than you actually end up using)
Lisa says
Oh my gosh I just love this recipe!!! Making them for the second time . I doubled the recipe this time and it smells so good!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Lisa! I'm so tickled that you love it! I put the "I made it" cutting board on your comment so others can see that you tried it! 🙂 Don't you love old fashioned recipes like this?
Diane says
Could you please tell me what size bag of pinto beans you use. I bought a 32 oz bag but my store also had a 16 oz bag. Thanks
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Diane! I am so sorry that this info is not in the recipe - I will fix that right away. I used the 16 oz bag - so, I think it is safe to say that you can simply double the recipe if you want to make the entire bag that you bought OR only use half of your bag. 🙂
Josef says
So using real chicken stock instead of salt cubes is your secret? wow
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Josef, I'm so glad you stopped by. Actually, using real chicken stock is not the secret - however, using real chicken stock is an idea and would probably turn out great too. The secret for an added kick is to use the chicken base, take the time to really invest in your beans, build the flavor by using salt and other flavor enhancers like onion and garlic and use fresh beans - older beans tend to be tough. Hope that helps to be more clear.
Lori says
I have had the chicken and the beef. I like the spices in Better than Boullion so much better than the little blocks or the liquid broth. The liquid broths smell like they have kerosene in them. To me anyways.
Thank You for sharing this recipe. I am anxious to try it and may replace breakfast sometimes with hearty beens before a long hike or bike ride.
I hike in the Cascades of Washington State. The knees are trouble these days but Ibuprfen before the downhill trek and a good walking stick help with that.
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Lori! Thank you so much for visiting! I LOVE that you do hiking! I probably have a LOT to learn from you! I just did my first "long" hike a few weeks ago. The Cascades of Washington sound LOVELY! Tell me about your hikes? Do you do overnights or just day hikes - or even whole weeks at a time?
Carol says
Hi again Wendi! I use this in soups, beans, chili, rice dishes. Pretty much anywhere that you need broth you can use it. Just love the convenience of this product, and love to know it is there when I need it. I cannot even remember when I first started using it, it seems like I came across it and thought it sounded good, so I gave it a try. I know that I have also seen it in "Beef"base but have always bought chicken. I am wondering if you noticed that it doesn't get that salty, artificial flavor that you get from the regular dry chicken base? I love that! It lends itself to so many dishes. I am looking forward to maybe you stumbling on something I might have not thought of?
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Carol, I just now saw that my response never showed up! I've been having problems with my cell phone and I think the app I use is glitchy. Problem fixed - got a new cell phone yesterday! I'm kind of glad that it didn't though - because I hadn't tried the beef base too until a few days ago - it is very good too! I did notice that it doesn't give an artificial flavor at all. In fact, when I added it to a recipe I was making the other day in the crockpot - the flavor was very light - but totally made a huge impact. I'm hooked! Thanks for writing! I really appreciate it!
Mary says
Pinto beans are my favorite...these look so good. Love that you give directions for 3 ways to cook. Hope your trip was a success, and no hardships occurred! Once again, I loved all your tips and your scripture reading. Pinned. Thanks for sharing. Have a great and safe Memorial weekend.
Wendi Spraker says
Hey Mary! Thank you so much for commenting! I am back - all in one piece - sore, but home. No bear or serpent encounters. One squirrel encounter - but he was cute. lol. I love pintos too - and it is such a shame that there isn't even one spoonful of these left. Good thing they are affordable and I can make them again today if I want! 🙂 Perfect for the rainy weather we are having right now. Take care and have a wonderful weekend!!
Carol says
I am so excited to see a new use for this broth, as I have been using it for my recipes that call for broth for aaaaaaages! I love the wonderful convenience and it is far superior to the cans or cartons of broth. Another thing is it stays good in the refrigerator for quite a while, much longer than it has to, considering that you will use it far quicker than that.I love it and I am so happy that you discovered this gem!
Wendi Spraker says
Hi Carol! I'm excited to find this product too! What other dishes do you use it in? Sounds like you have known about it for a LOT longer than I have! Would love to know! Thank you so much for leaving me a comment!