Community Cookbook: Turning dried beans into slow cookin’ delicious dishes

If you tell me I’m full of beans today, I’ll take it as a compliment. Truth be told, I’ve been full of beans since last September, when the weather started to change. The onset of fall was all the excuse I needed to throttle up the dried bean express. I’ve prepared these three recipes seven times since, including this past weekend, so they’ve been thoroughly tested.
Eastern Washington and Idaho are major producers of dried beans. Dried beans are nutritional and economical gold nuggets. They’re high in fiber and nutrients. Pairing beans and rice in the same meal furnishes all nine amino acids essential for complete protein.
Black Beans and Ham, Aloha’n is the queen of my dried bean dishes. I would serve this elegant fare at the fanciest of dinners. Call me brash, but I would even serve it to Hawaiian royalty. Crocked Cowboy Beans and Red Beans with Sausage, on the other hand, is more apt to be camp food than part of a fancy feast, however delicious and nourishing they are.
These aren’t dump-and-done recipes, the last couple hours of cooking involves several minor tasks. The effort is worthwhile, the vegetables retain much of their shape and flavor. I routinely brine dried beans before cooking them. Brining improves their creaminess and flavor. Cooking temperature can vary between slow-cookers. Time adjustments may be helpful with subsequent batches.
Black Beans and Ham, Aloha’n
I’ve never visited Hawaii or tasted Hawaiian cuisine except for a little fried spam and pineapple. I have seen “Magnum, P.I.” and “Hawaii Five-O” … “Cuff ‘em, Dano!” This dish is what I imagine a Hawaiian slow-cooked dish featuring black beans and ham might be like.
1½ pound dried black beans
5 cups water
1 large dried bay leaf
1 cup, sliced into ½-by-1-inch pieces, onion
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon dried leaf thyme
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon black pepper
1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained and sliced in half, juice reserved
8 ounces of ⅜ to ½-inch cubed ham
¾ cup, sliced into ¼-inch thick rings, jalapeño pepper or ⅜-by-1-inch pieces, bell pepper
½ cup reserved pineapple juice
2 cups, seeds and juice removed, sliced into 3/4-inch pieces, Roma tomatoes
½ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
Sort and wash the beans; place in a small stockpot. Add 12 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of salt; stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12-15 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Place the beans, water, and bay leaf in a 4-quart or larger slow-cooker. Cook on low for a total of 11 hours. At 9 hours, 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the onion. Combine the next six ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. At 10 hours, 10 minutes, stir in the pineapple, ham, jalapeño or bell pepper, juice, and seasoning mix. At 10 hours, 45 minutes, stir in the tomatoes and cilantro. At 11 hours, turn the heat off and remove the crock. Let rest for 30 minutes before lifting the lid. Taste and add bouillon powder to increase saltiness, if needed. Stir well before serving.
Notes: For less soupy servings, use a slotted spoon, then a ladle for the desired amount of broth.
Yields: About 3 quarts
Crocked Cowboy Beans
Cowboy Beans has several aliases, including trail beans, buckaroo beans, and frijoles charros. Ingredients are varied, with distinct regional preferences. Brining the beans before cooking them produces excellent flavor and texture.
1½ pound dried pinto beans
7 cups water
6 slices thick-cut bacon
1½ cup chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1½ cup chopped jalapeño peppers
4 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
2½ teaspoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon liquid smoke or 1¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
Sort and wash the beans; place in a small stockpot. Add 12 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of salt; stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12-15 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Combine the beans and water in a 4-quart or larger slow-cooker. Cook on low heat for a total of 14½ hours. At 11 hours of cooking, stir in the bacon. At 13 hours, 10 minutes, stir in the onion and garlic. At 13 hours, 20 minutes, stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro and vinegar. At 14 hours, 30 minutes, turn the heat off and remove the crock. Let rest for 30 minutes before lifting the lid. Remove the bacon (it may be in pieces); stir in the cilantro and vinegar. When cooled enough to handle, separate the bacon meat from the fat. Finely chop the meat and return to the pot. Let rest for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes: For frijoles borrachos (drunken beans), substitute 2 cups of beer for that amount of water. Stir in a little broth or water if the beans are too thick when reheated.
Yields: About 3 quarts
Red Beans and Sausage
This hearty mess of beans is a close cousin of the Southern classic, red beans and rice. Like the classic, this dish may be its best when ladled over a generous mound of hot steamed rice. It can also be eaten, Chicago-style, on a bed of spaghetti or simply, as is.
1½ pound dried small red beans (don’t use kidney beans)
6 cups water
2 large dried bay leaves
1 12 to 14-ounce hot smoked or Andouille sausage ring
1½ cup chopped onion
¾ cup chopped celery
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped jalapeño or bell pepper
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Minced green onion, flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro for garnish
Sort and wash the beans; place in a small stockpot. Add 12 cups of water and 3 tablespoons of salt; stir well. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 12-15 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Place the beans, water and bay leaves in a 4-quart or larger slow-cooker. Cook on low heat for a total of 11 hours. Slice the sausage into ¼-inch thick disks, then into halves; refrigerate until ready to use. At 9 hours, 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the onion, celery, and garlic. Combine the next seven ingredients (through black pepper) in a small bowl. At 10 hours, stir in the sausage, jalapeño or bell pepper, and seasoning mix. At 10 hours, 45 minutes, stir in the tomato and pepper sauces. At 11 hours, turn the heat off and remove the crock without lifting the lid. Let rest for 30 minutes, then stir in the vinegar. Serve with hot steamed rice, if preferred. Top with the garnish and serve with red pepper sauce.
Notes: For less soupy servings, use a slotted spoon, then a ladle for the desired amount of broth. Reduce the sausage by half for a leaner version.
Yields: About 3 quarts
Dick Sellers is a freelance writer. Contact him at dickskitchencorner@outlook.com