Austin Style Black Beans


Black Beans


I'm still waiting for my advanced copy of The Homesick Texan Cookbook to arrive in the mail (Mexican mail takes a while.), but already Lisa Fain has managed to change my mind about a certain ingredient. 

Beans are probably the most important staple in the Mexican diet.  Depending on where you live in Mexico determines your bean of choice.  Here in Jalisco, the bean of choice is peruano (peruvian).  It's the bean my suegra (mother-in-law) and I always have on hand and it's my hubby's favorite.  But we also like Tejano and Flor de Junio.    

I was raised on pinto beans.  Both my Mexican grandparents and my Southern great-grandmother always had a pot of pinto beans brewing on the stove.  Pappy would serve his Frijoles de la Olla with chopped onion and dried oregano.  My great-grandma Pearl served her soupy pinto beans on top of a buttered slice of cornbread.  (Swoon!)

The one bean we weren't too crazy about was black beans.  My experience with black beans was limited to the 40-day period after my children were born.  My suegra would brew me a pot of black beans because it's believed that they're better for both the mom and the nursing baby during those crucial first weeks.  They were good, but nothing swoon worthy.  Hubby never even attempted to try them.

Occasionally a couple of stray black beans make their way into my Peruanos and I leave them in for good luck.  Whoever finds the "lucky" black bean gets to wash the dishes.  Oddly enough, none of my kiddies have ever found the "lucky" bean.

Enter The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-Off hosted by my friend, Girlichef.   When I saw that one of the recipe choices this week was for Austin Stlye Black Beans, I thought to myself that it was high time to give these little beans another chance.

The recipe sounded good enough.  Chipotle peppers, cilantro, onion and garlic.  You can't go wrong with ingredients like those.  The only thing I wasn't too sure about was adding lime juice to cooked beans, but I soon found out that there was nothing to worry about.  These Austin Style Black Beans were so amazing, I can't believe I ever underestimated their deliciousness.

Not only did I love them, but so did Hubby, the kiddies, my suegra AND my dentist!   (What?  You don't have breakfast with your dentist every morning?)  

I will definitely be making these again, soon!!!


Austin Style Black Beans



Austin Style Black Beans
(from The Homesick Texan Cookbook by Lisa Fain)

Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. dried black beans
  • 1 tablespoon manteca (lard) or vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped 
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 canned chipotles
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chipotle adobo sauce
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • Salt (to taste)

Directions:
Clean the beans by discarding any rocks or shriveled beans.  Rinse the beans with cold water to remove any dirt.

Place the beans in a large pot.  Cover with about 6 cups of water.  (You want enough water to cover the beans by one inch.)  

Black Beans prep 1


Bring to a boil over high heat and let cook for 15 minutes.  Drain and rinse the beans.

black beans prep 2


In a large pot  (I used the same one I cooked the beans in.) heat the manteca or vegetable oil.  Add the onion and carrot and saute for about 8 minutes or until the onion is transluscent.  Stir in the garlic and let cook 30 seconds.

black beans prep 3


Return the beans to the pot along with the chopped chipotle peppers and cilantro.  Cover with 8 cups of water and bring to boil over high heat.  (You want the beans covered with about 2-inches of water.)  Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 90 minutes.  (The instructions say to simmer uncovered, but I'm a rebel and went ahead and covered them anyway!)

black bean prep 4


Add remaining cilantro, cumin, adobo sauce and lime juice; season with salt.  Mash some of the beans with the back of a large spoon to thicken the bean broth.  Cook uncovered 30 minutes.  Enjoy!!!

Austin Style Black Beans


*This post is part of The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight and Cook-Off sponsored by Hyperion and hosted at girlichef.




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11 comments

  1. That looks really good amiga! I am surprised you weren't sure about the lime on cooked beans... I love it! I guess it might be more a "Norteño" thing... Everybody in Monterrey/Matamoros (and cities like that) have to have their "Frijoles a la charra" with salsa and limon! You can't have them any other way! ;) I am glad you liked it! ... I've always liked black beans and I am sure this recipe is perfect!

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  2. i was a bit skeptical about the beans myself...but literally licked my plate clean. i ate them 3 days in  row! i hope you get your book soon...the recipes are really good!

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  3. This sounds really good!  We like black beans so I definitely want to give this a try!

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  4. ha ha ha ha...I had to giggle about the dentist!  I'm glad these changed your mind so that you can have black beans in your rotation now. Yours look wonderful.  And I totally your awesome pot. Love it!

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  5. Breakfast with my dentist? LOL, you made me giggle! My hubby is not a big fan of beans, but he agreed this recipe looks full of flavor:-) I love black beans, so you basically had me at your picture:-) Hugs, Terra

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  6. beautiful photos and love that pot...the recipe sounds wonderful, a nice cross-over

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  7. I so want to steal your bean pot!

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  8. Hi Leslie,
    Please tell Bo that I have already left the building with the bean pot. I really want that bean pot and of course your Austin Black Beans look so delicious, especially in that wonderful bean pot! It is great to meet you!
    Miz Helen

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  9. Bookmarking this and making these beans soon! Looks delicious :-)

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  10. Your dentist, lol..i also am not fond of black beans..I'm more a pinto girl myself, but these were awesome.

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  11. You beans look fantastic and I join the long line of people to steal your wonderful bean pot! ;-) 

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