cooking pinto beans

WalkingGirl1985
WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,046 Member
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
I did the sorting, and when done, I filled the pot with 6c water when told by the directions..rinsed the beans pretty swiftly (didn't think i did so enough) then i put them in, and soaked them for 1 hour after they were boiled for 1 minute...drained the brown looking water, filled pot with clean water, reduced the heat to low..was told by directions to cook them for 1 1/2 hr-2hrs...the water doesn't look like its reducing at all and looks brown...what am i doing wrong?

Replies

  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
    I am Mr. Pinto Beans, give me a few seconds and let me find my recipe.
  • Athena413
    Athena413 Posts: 1,709 Member
    There's a special way to cook pinto beans? I always just let them soak over night (reduces the gas issue), drain the water, throw them in a crock pot with some ham and salt, and let them cook all day while I'm at work. I get home and dinner is done! :drinker:
  • WalkingGirl1985
    WalkingGirl1985 Posts: 2,046 Member
    I know its best to soak them overnight, but decided to try the quick method..
  • JennyJacobsen
    JennyJacobsen Posts: 72 Member
    If the water is still brown, Did U rinse the beans after dumping the icky water? Also I cook my beans on med heat for the 1 - 2hours but sometimes I cook them a little longer so they are softer. The beans should be getting bigger than before U rinsed them. Other than that U are doing it correctly
  • lorihalsted
    lorihalsted Posts: 326 Member
    First of all congratulations on your weight loss!!!!

    You may just have to cook the beans a little longer. The water will turn brown and almost gravy like the longer you cook. I normally don't do my on the stove top so I am not an expert. I would just let them cook a bit longer and maybe turn the heat to medium low.

    If you have a crockpot that is the easiest way I have found to cook beans. Rinse the beans like you did, put in a bowl and soak in the refrigerator overnight. Drain the beans in the morning and put them in the crockpot and add 4-5 cups of water. Cook on low7-8 hours and the beans turn out great. Good luck!!!
  • Degator
    Degator Posts: 92 Member
    Sounds like you did it right, the water will turn brown and you don't want the water to reduce all the way out. Just cook them until they get to the softness that you desire. I use the quick soak method all the time.
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    Just let them cook. It takes hours. The water will be discolored from the beans. Add a little salt too.
  • thepanttherlady
    thepanttherlady Posts: 258 Member
    Hmmmmm...I've always just cooked them on the stove for a few hours with garlic, onions and a little salt. I've NEVER sorted through them and just learned my lesson the hard way this week.

    Thought I'd cook them in the crock pot (ugh! they were so flavorless I won't be doing THAT again!) so I just put em in and as I was adding water a little beetle came floating to the top. About the size of two or three pinto beans but it's shell looked EXACTLY like a bean. I was mortified and started wondering if I'd ever had them in the bags in the past. I so hope not. O_o
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    There's a special way to cook pinto beans? I always just let them soak over night (reduces the gas issue), drain the water, throw them in a crock pot with some ham and salt, and let them cook all day while I'm at work. I get home and dinner is done! :drinker:

    This is pretty much what I do.

    Pinto beans take a long time to cook. I usually let them cook covered for 4 hours or longer replenishing water as needed.
  • jacobhammond
    jacobhammond Posts: 12
    I am Mr. Pinto Beans, give me a few seconds and let me find my recipe.

    Looking forward to this since I have a big bag of pintos waiting to be cooked up in several large batches.

    Usually I just rinse them, throw them in the water and boil for 2-3 hours until the water has reduced significantly. While cooking, I add some seasoning and a bit of salt. They usually turn out pretty good but I'm looking to improve.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I am Mr. Pinto Beans, give me a few seconds and let me find my recipe.

    Looking forward to this since I have a big bag of pintos waiting to be cooked up in several large batches.

    Usually I just rinse them, throw them in the water and boil for 2-3 hours until the water has reduced significantly. While cooking, I add some seasoning and a bit of salt. They usually turn out pretty good but I'm looking to improve.

    Try cooking it with some meat in there like a ham or some cooked bacon. Pinto beans are wonderful with a good ham hock.
  • shack1157
    shack1157 Posts: 97 Member
    That is correct! Been eating Pinto Beans all my life and that is a long time LOL As they cook down add water till the beans get soft. Continue till desire firmness is reached. Then I let them cook down till the broth is where I like it. Be sure to add either Bacon or a hamhock or saltpork or they will taste bland! Enjoy! YUMMY!
  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
    Alright,

    1) Sort your beans into a pot and fill that pot with water and put just a touch of kosher salt. Let that soak in the fridge overnight.

    2) Rinse the beans and let them stay in the collandar while you throw one chopped up onion and a tablespoon of butter in the pot on medium heat.

    3) When the onions start to carmelize you add a half pound of diced ham.

    4) Add your beans and then about 40 ounces of water

    5) Leave on medium heat for 90 minutes stiring every thirty minutes.

    ________________________________________________________________________________________

    When I don't have the time to do them on the stove (which is a majority of the time) I just throw them in the crockpot on low all day.
  • SandyCurrier
    SandyCurrier Posts: 50
    Hi, cooking pinto beans is easy...I've been cooking them well over 40 yrs, and they are always good!

    I dont sort either, put them in your pot (crock pots rarely give you a nice gravy like base..While rinsing them
    - running them under cold water in the pot, swish your hand around several times to loosen any soil, or anything other than beans lol..(still cracking up over that beetle, I would have just screamed lol)
    anyway, when you feel you have rinsed them enough, - when the water runs clear, cover them with enough water to almost fill your pot. I use my pressure cooker pot usually.
    Remove any 'floaters' that come to the top of the water..like half beans, etc..or any bad beans..they will float.

    I soak them over night, but you can cook them right away if you like, it will take almost all after noon, just keep enough water in there. Season with onliom,garlic,salt,pepper, ham, or ham hocks, (upu to you) until they are done. They will be soft and the soup part will be brown, not grey, not black-thats dirt.
    take one out and taste it, if its done, Enjoy!
    I have also cooked them longer to use as refried beans...or beans n cheese for Mexican dishes.
    They go great with cornbread,
  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
    They go great with cornbread,
    +1
  • TamaraGraceS
    TamaraGraceS Posts: 273 Member
    bump
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    i normally do blackeyed peas but this works for pintos as well.

    clean and sort well.
    place in a crockpot with low sodium chicken broth any chicken or turkey bones i have left over, onion, garlic, salt pepper, celery, oregano, cayenne.
    cook on low for 4-6 hours .

    the liquid is kinda dark
  • ishallnotwant
    ishallnotwant Posts: 1,210 Member
    If you do the overnight soak, they cook faster. Mine are usually tender within about 2 hours.
  • bllowry
    bllowry Posts: 239 Member
    If you forget to soak them overnight, put a kettle of water on to boil. Thoroughly rinse the beans. Put a quartered onion, a few smashed cloves of garlic and a seeded quartered bell pepper in the bottom of a crock pot or in a large dutch oven, add the bean and the boiling water to cover and either cook them on low all day (crock pot) or on medium heat for a couple hours; you can also put them in the oven at 325 for a couple hours if you prefer.
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