Un-Refried Beans

Blender, food processor, potato masher, or fork! 

Start with a batch of Mexican-Style Pinto Beans, and end up with Un-Refried Beans, creamy-smooth beans perfectly suited to burritos or topped with cheese and hot sauce as a snack or side dish.  For more rustic texture, mash the beans by hand with a potato masher or large fork.  

Un-refried beans are popular in our home, so I usually make at least two pounds worth, freezing some in 2 1/2 cup Ziploc freezer cubes and some in 1 cup Ziploc freezer containers for impromptu snacks.  They are easily popped out of their container and heated in a small pan on the stove, or in a bowl in the micro.  

Beans, garlic, chilis are pureed without seeds.

1 batch of Mexican-Style Pinto Beans; 
     about 6 cups cooked beans made from 1 lb. of dry beans
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 - 2 Tbs. olive oil, optional

Allow the Mexican-style Pinto beans to cool 1 hour after they are done cooking.  Drain them into a colander; discard the bay leaf.  Puree in food processor or blender in batches along with the chiles that cooked with them. 

Alternatively, mash beans 1 cup at a time with a potato masher or large fork.  

Season with salt, cumin, and olive oil.  When all the beans are pureed, combine them in a large bowl, stirring well.

Use immediately or package for the freezer.  Spoon into wide-mouth pint jars , freezer containers or freezer bags.   

Thaw frozen Un-refried Beans in one of the following ways:

• defrost overnight in the refrigerator
• thaw in the microwave on the defrost setting (not jars)
• thaw tightly closed container in a large bowl of warm water (not jars)
• set out at room temperature for an hour, then slide beans from their container into a small pan for heating.

Mexican-Style Pinto Beans

 Well-seasoned pinto beans ~ great side dish

These well-seasoned beans smell sooo good when they are cooking.  They are great as a side dish or incorporated into Mexican recipes.  They are the basis for Un-Refried Beans.  We use them in Taco Chip Ole (our version of taco salad), Taco Soup, in Whole Grain tortillas with cheese and hot sauce.  They are so popular at our house I usually cook 4 pounds of beans at a time in my water bath canner, in which case I use the food processor to chop the onions : )   

The method outlined below utilizes two important principles.  The first is fermentation, which according to Sally Fallon Morell in her book Nourishing Traditions, improves digestibility of the beans, which in turn reduces gastric upset. The second is brining, which according to America's Test Kitchen, tenderizes the seed coat.  Inspiration for seasoning came from Beth Hensperger's 'Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook', a book I highly recommend.

Day 1
1 lb. dried pinto beans (2 cups)
4 quarts room temperature water, 70-75 degrees F
2 Tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
2 Tbs sea salt

Day 2
8 cups hot water
2 dried New Mexican, California, or ancho chiles
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, chopped
1 bay leaf

Place beans in a large bowl, pot, or other container.  Add water, vinegar, and salt. Soak at room temperature overnight or up to 24 hours. 

Drain beans into a colander and rinse thoroughly.
  

Pull stems off of dried chiles and shake the seeds out.

Transfer beans to a large pot; add 8 cups hot water.  Pull stems off of dried chiles and shake the seeds out; discard seeds.  Smash the garlic cloves with the broad side of a chef's knife and add them, the chiles, chopped onion, and bay leaf to the pot.  Bring beans to a boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat, tilt the lid on the pot, and simmer until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  

OR cook in a slow cooker on HIGH heat for 3 to 4 1/2 hours.

Test several beans to determine doneness.  Older beans will take longer to cook, and really old beans may not soften.

Remove beans from heat and let cool in their liquid for 1 hour.

Use immediately or package for the freezer.  Drain the beans and transfer to wide-mouth pint jars , freezer containers or freezer bags.  A pound of beans yields three 2 cup packages, equivalent to 3 cans of beans.  

Thaw frozen beans in one of the following ways:

• defrost overnight in the refrigerator
• thaw in the microwave on the defrost setting (not jars)
• thaw tightly closed container in a large bowl of warm water (not jars)
• set out at room temperature for an hour, then slide beans from their container into a small pan for heating.

Delicious dish; enjoy plain, topped with cheese and hot sauce, along-
side your favorite Mexican entree, or pureed to make Un-Refried Beans.