Frijoles

As most of you know since you follow my husband's blog we moved to Mexico in September. Since living in San Cristobal de las Casas I have been experimenting with many things because we don't have everything at our finger tips like we did in the States. One of those things I decided to try this past week was making beans from scratch. Yes, they do sell beans in a can here but we noticed the price was way more expensive then buying a bag of uncooked beans and since we are getting paid in pesos here we can't splurge on a can of beans. And I would have to say that I am quite pleased with how they turned out!

Making beans is a full day process and actually it is best to start the night before with a pre-soak. Below are the instructions on how I made my beans. It is best to plan on making your beans on a day when you will be home because it literally takes all day for them to cook. Here's how I made my bean:

Instructions

1. Soak the beans overnight. The night before you plan to cook (10-14 hours), soak the beans to reduce cooking time and help them cook more evenly. Empty the dry beans in a bowl. Pick through the beans and discard any shriveled or unappealing beans and rocks. Cover the beans with a few inches of water and leave them on the counter.
2. Drain the soaked beans. The next day, the beans will have absorbed much of the water and nearly doubled in size. Drain the beans from their soaking water and rinse them gently under water.
3. Transfer beans to a cooking pot.
4. Bring the beans to a boil. Cover the beans with an inch of water. Bring them to a boil over medium-high heat.
5. Reduce to a simmer and cook. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and bring the beans to a very gentle simmer. You should barely see the water moving. Leave the lid off for firm beans meant for cold salads and pasta dishes. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar for creamier beans for soups, casseroles, and burritos.
6. Cook the beans. Cook the beans for one hour, then begin checking for doneness. Depending on their age, size, and variety, beans can take anywhere from an hour to three hours to cook through. Be patient! Keep the beans on a gentle simmer and taste frequently as they start to become tender. Add more water as needed to keep the beans submerged, and stir occasionally.
7. Add the salt when beans are just barely tender. When beans are tender but still too firm to enjoy eating, add the salt. Adding the salt too early can keep the beans from becoming tender. Continue simmering until the beans are as tender and creamy as you like them. Add more salt to taste.
8. Cool and store the beans. Cool the beans in their cooking liquid and transfer to refrigerator containers, still with their cooking liquid. Beans will keep for one week refrigerated or can be frozen for up to three months.

Here is the final product!