Pressure Cooker Pinto Beans
Once you get the hang of pressure cooking your beans you won't ever want to go back waiting hours!
Servings 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried pinto beans washed and broken pieces or stones removed
- 8 c water
- 1 med white onion, sliced in half keep one half whole and add to beans when cooking. Dice remaining onion and reserve for later
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 serrano peppers mince one and reserve it for later, add one whole serrano to cook dried beans
- 2 bay leaves
- Avocado or olive oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Soak the beans for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain the beans and transfer to the pressure cooker. Cover with 8 cups of water. Make sure you don't go over the allowed water level for your pressure cooker. Add 1/2 the onion, 6 cloves garlic, jalapeño, 2 bay leaves and 2 - 3 tablespoons of oil. The oil will prevent the beans from foaming up, which is better for pressure cooker method.
- Secure and lock the lid of a 6 quart pressure cooker. Cook on high until the security valve seals and pressure cooker begins to hiss. It may take 20 minutes or more for it to come up to pressure and lock. Reduce the temperature in between medium/low. If you have an electric stove, set it at number 4. Set timer for 30 minutes. The time depends on the size of pressure cooker sometimes. In my experience anyway. Carefully remove from heat and wait for safety valve to release. Agai, this may take 20 minutes.
- Once it releases, unlock and open lid. Check for tenderness of beans. If beans are still a little tough, cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes at medium heat. Season to taste with salt. Remove the bay leaves. If preparing fried beans, using a slotted spoon, add all of the beans, including onion, garlic and serrano to the blender. Ladle in just enough bean broth to fill blender. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Set aside. If you prefer, you can mash with the potato masher once in the skillet.
- For Fried Beans: In a large, deep skillet, preheat 3 tablespoons of avocado oil to medium heat. Once hot add 1 cup diced onions and 1 minced serrano pepper. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully pour in the beans from the blender. Continue cooking for 7 to 8 minutes at a light simmer. If you want a thicker bean, cook a little longer. If you like a thinner bean, add some chicken broth or water.
Notes
Frijoles Con Chorizo Botana- Bean and Chorizo Appetizer
4 cups previously cooked "healthy refried beans"
1 pound cooked Mexican chorizo, cooked For Chile Sauce
6 large chile ancho or 8 chile guajillo
8 chile de arbol
2 cloves garlic 2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste 6 ounces shredded Oaxaca, Chihuahua or monterey jack cheese 1. Remove stems and seeds from chile ancho or guajillos. If chile de arbol have stems, remove them as well. Transfer to a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Let them steep in the water for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chiles to the blender. Add the garlic and 2 cups of water. Blend on high until smooth. Strain into a bowl using a fine wire strainer. Set aside. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat. After a few minutes, add the chile sauce. Be careful because it could boil and pop suddenly. If it's boiling, reduce to a simmer. Add the cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. If it's too thick, add a little more water or broth. Taste for salt. 3. To build the "frijoles appetizer", layer the refried beans in baking dish, top with a little chile sauce, all of the cheese, all of chorizo and remaining chile sauce. Transfer to a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 25 minutes. Serve with warm tortillas or chips. Yields 6-8 appetizer servings. Tips~ if you want to add some smoky pork flavor try adding a smoked ham hock, smoked ham steak or smoked pork chops.
1 pound cooked Mexican chorizo, cooked For Chile Sauce
6 large chile ancho or 8 chile guajillo
8 chile de arbol
2 cloves garlic 2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste 6 ounces shredded Oaxaca, Chihuahua or monterey jack cheese 1. Remove stems and seeds from chile ancho or guajillos. If chile de arbol have stems, remove them as well. Transfer to a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Let them steep in the water for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chiles to the blender. Add the garlic and 2 cups of water. Blend on high until smooth. Strain into a bowl using a fine wire strainer. Set aside. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat. After a few minutes, add the chile sauce. Be careful because it could boil and pop suddenly. If it's boiling, reduce to a simmer. Add the cumin, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Continue cooking for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. If it's too thick, add a little more water or broth. Taste for salt. 3. To build the "frijoles appetizer", layer the refried beans in baking dish, top with a little chile sauce, all of the cheese, all of chorizo and remaining chile sauce. Transfer to a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 25 minutes. Serve with warm tortillas or chips. Yields 6-8 appetizer servings. Tips~ if you want to add some smoky pork flavor try adding a smoked ham hock, smoked ham steak or smoked pork chops.