In Mexico beans are cooked from dry without presoaking. Because beans are present in every meal, they don’t tend to sit around on market shelves getting old and brittle, and fresher beans tend to cook more quickly. The cooking liquid is usually a savory combination of herbs, alliums, and chiles, with salt added right from the start. A good rule of thumb is to check for tenderness every hour to make sure they don’t overcook and start breaking apart. But if they do, it’s a great excuse to refry them—no one will ever know!
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Recipe information
Yield
Makes about 3 quarts
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Bring scallions, herbs, garlic, beans, salt, and 4 quarts water to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently, uncovered, skimming surface and stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to keep beans covered, until beans are tender, 1½–3½ hours. Cooking time will depend on how old the beans are. Remove scallions, herbs, and garlic.
Step 2
Do Ahead: Beans can be cooked 3 months ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
