Cooks' Note
Salsa (see page 324) is a great enhancement for either pinto or black beans. This is true whether you serve the beans on the plate or as a quasi soup in a bowl with a lot of the cooking liquid left with the beans. Pintos are a particularly strong source of folic acid, containing over 70 percent of the U.S.RDA in a 1⁄2 cup serving. You can replace the bacon in this recipe with 2 tablespoons bacon drippings.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
3 quarts (12 cups) water
2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
3 slices bacon, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
Combine the beans and water in a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and maintain at a simmer over medium heat for about 1 hour, checking periodically to see if more water is needed. Add the onion and bacon, and continue to cook until tender, 30 to 60 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
