Black beans?

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mezzosoprano89
mezzosoprano89 Posts: 81 Member
in Recipes
I tried making black beans a few days ago (from a can) and they tasted really horrible, does anyone have a favorite brand or recipe to make them taste really good? I've had black beans at chipotle and other restaurants and LOVE them, so I'd like to be able to make them for myself :)
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  • emmyvera
    emmyvera Posts: 599 Member
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    I think you'll want to experiment some more with them.:wink: I bet the reason they taste different and "better" at restaurants is because they are loaded with salt. ... And I'm sure other spices.

    I love love black beans. I make black bean burgers, black bean soup, put them in burritos, make salads, etc.
    I also use spices with mine. My favorite is cumin and/or chili powder. And the recipe usually has onion and/or garlic too.
    Eating them plain with no spices would be a drag.

    www.eatingwell.com is great website I use to get recipes. They have a lot of black bean recipes.
    I like the tacos and the sweet potato and black bean soup.

    Note: Canned beans are "okay" but you'll want to drain and rinse them. Making them from scratch is the best alternative. I admit though, I haven't tried that yet. :yawn:
  • mezzosoprano89
    mezzosoprano89 Posts: 81 Member
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    I think I'm going to need to spend some time on that website! And I agree, I'm sure restaurants load them with salt, I think I'll try making them fresh sometime soon to give it a go! Thanks!
  • jjblogs
    jjblogs Posts: 327 Member
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    love black beans in chili....
  • gingerb85
    gingerb85 Posts: 357 Member
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    Try cooking them from dried beans. I love black beans and eat them frequently. Here is my favorite black bean soup recipe: http://vegancajun.blogspot.com/2011/12/brazilian-black-bean-soup.html

    I cover my beans with a lot of water and let them soak overnight. I generally cook 3# at a time (that's the size of the bag from the produce stand) and will freeze them in 2 cup amounts. I don't cook them with any seasoning or salt so they can be used in any recipe later. Two cups of beans is roughly the equivalent of a standard 14-15 oz can of beans.

    I also make the refritos recipe from the original Moosewood Cookbook, substituting black beans for the pintos more often than not. This is a family favorite. http://www.fortunecity.com/tattooine/challenger/3/refritos.html
  • nhhartmann
    nhhartmann Posts: 30 Member
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    I sprinkle a little of my favorite taco or fajita seasoning in the beans when I heat them.
  • tnvolsfan74
    tnvolsfan74 Posts: 83 Member
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    I use them in a 3-bean turkey chili that I make....yummy!
  • TWrecks1968
    TWrecks1968 Posts: 138 Member
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    Yes, definitely soak dried beans overnight, and pick out any stones. Black beans in chili rocks!!!!
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
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    I agree that cooking them from dried beans at home is definitely the way to go.... And I freeze mine in 2 cup amounts too!! I LOVE THIS SITE!! Anyhoo... I like them like this ~ 1 cup of black beans, 1 cup of rice, sprinkling of shredded cheddar and cumin... I looooovvvvvvvvvvvve cumin... ;)
  • TWrecks1968
    TWrecks1968 Posts: 138 Member
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    Yes, definitely soak dried beans overnight, and pick out any stones. Black beans in chili rocks!!!!
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I just started making my own black beans. As for canned, I used to use the Busch's reduced-sodium black beans. They're pretty good for canned and I used them in salads, burritos, chili's or just as a side dish. My kids love them too. Homemade is a little more involved but you can season them any way you want and I think they taste a lot better.
  • akgrl1020
    akgrl1020 Posts: 179
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    I love black beans! If you get the canned ones, make sure you rinse them really well. Otherwise, they are cheaper dried, and no sodium! I love them with a little lime juice, topped with chicken breast, salsa verde, and some pepper jack cheese!
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I just started making my own black beans. As for canned, I used to use the Busch's reduced-sodium black beans. They're pretty good for canned and I used them in salads, burritos, chili's or just as a side dish. My kids love them too. Homemade is a little more involved but you can season them any way you want and I think they taste a lot better.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    I saute some diced onion and minced garlic and then add the can of beans (I use reduced sodium). I then add a dash of chili powder, some garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin. Cumin is the really important seasoning to me. I love cumin!!

    Dry beans can be prepared the same way after soaking them and doing their initial boil. But you'll want to use some salt, probably.

    I also make a really delicious black bean dip. I saute onions, garlic, and red peppers in a couple TBSP olive oil, rinse a can of black beans and put them in a food processor. Put the sauteed veggies along with all the oil left on top, sprinkle with one dash of cayenne, some garlic powder, chili powder, and cumin. Process (using some of the liquid from the beans or some water) until smooth and a texture you like. Then I dip either tortilla chips, or-my favorite-peppers in it. YUMMY!
  • CandeesLand
    CandeesLand Posts: 200
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    I have found a way to cook any beans really that does not take much effort, just a little pre planning. I soak beans overnight in cold water, pick out junk, if I am cooking kidney beans alone or in the mix I boil for 15 minutes (something about a virus that can live on them), then add to a crock pot with plenty of water and cook on low for about 8-9 hours (while I am at work) and when I get home they are ready to use for whatever I want them for. You can add onion, garlic or other spices to the crockpot if you want to also for added flavor.
  • desutton3
    desutton3 Posts: 19
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    I use the S&W brand (cheapo!) canned black beans, and do a couple of different things with them:

    1. Throw in some chopped onion, a few sliced cloves of garlic and salt and serve with some savory main dish

    2. Mix a can with 8 oz (usually half a bag) of frozen corn. Put a touch of sugar in. Brown sugar or honey don't work really well, I use regular old white cane sugar. Goes well with light flavors like fish.

    3. If I'm in a hurry, I just add a cup of medium or hot salsa and eat them right out of the pan or on a tortilla. Yeah, I add cheese, too :laugh:
  • toxicat
    toxicat Posts: 79
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    http://meemoskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/11/black-beans-kinda-like-chipotle-mexican.html#axzz1ibtTng5l

    INGREDIENTS:
    .
    1 pound dried black beans
    1 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
    8 cups water
    1 medium onion, quartered
    2 cloves garlic
    1 teaspoon dried oregano
    1 teaspoon whole cumin seed - toasted* (see note)
    1 bay leaf
    salt to taste
    1/4 cup dry sherry
    1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    2 tablespoons olive oil
    .
    DIRECTIONS:
    Clean and sort beans, discarding and moldy, broken beans,small rocks, and clumps of dirt. See note below on Cleaning and Soaking beans.**
    .
    After cleaning, sorting and soaking beans, drain beans and cover with 8 cups (approx) fresh water. Simmer, covered for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until the beans are almost tender.
    .
    Combine green bell pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, bay leaf and a little of the cooking water in a blender. Blend on low until the mixture is smooth.
    .
    Add blended mixture to the beans. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to simmer.
    .
    Add salt, sherry, and vinegar. Simmer, uncovered, until the bean mixture becomes thick, about 2 hours.
    .
    Add olive oil immediately before serving.
    .
    * Toasting Cumin Seed:
    Toasting whole cumin seed will add a flavor boost to this recipe. To toast, place in a dry skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Grind in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
    .
    **Cleaning and Soaking Beans
    Cleaning before cooking, be sure to pick through the beans, picking out any small pebbles, split and withered beans, moldy beans and any other foreign matter.
    .
    Soaking Black beans, like all dried beans, can be soaked before cooking. This hydration helps to reduce the cooking time, but does affect nutrient content and flavor adversely. Because they are small, 4 hours soaking in cold water should suffice. Drain, and cook as per recipe. If you don't have the time, boil the beans in water for 1-3 minutes, turn off heat, cover the pot and let them sit for one hour. Drain and proceed as per recipe. However, there is a problem with this quick soaking (boiling for 1-3 minutes) method. Hot water increases the solubility of the water soluble nutrients, and softens the cell membranes of the beans, further accelerating the loss of these nutrients. This should be a consideration, because of the long cooking time during which more nutrients are lost. Cold soaked and cooked at a very gentle simmer, beans retain most of their nutrients, which are considerable.

    Read more: http://meemoskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/11/black-beans-kinda-like-chipotle-mexican.html#ixzz1ibtf6deD
    Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial
  • lappelget
    lappelget Posts: 10 Member
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    I put 1/2 cup of dry black beans (or lima beans, or lentils, or anything else that is dry) with 1 cup of chicken broth and garlic powder and pepper and let them cook on low until all the liquid is absorbed in to the bean. Wonderful flavor! (usually takes around 6 - 8 hours, perfect for throwing them together before work and then they're ready for dinner.)
  • josery1630
    josery1630 Posts: 205 Member
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    I drain, rinse, add a little bit of fresh water and season liberally with cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and simmer on the stove for 15-30 minutes (for canned beans). I add mine to tacos with a little bit of ground beef.

    For a quick way to make refried beans, you can try this:
    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/one-pot-pinto-beans/detail.aspx

    Very yummy, makes a lot, freezes well, and doesn't require soaking overnight (something I can never seem to get organized to do). This recipe works well with black beans too.
  • josery1630
    josery1630 Posts: 205 Member
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    Oh, and if you use this link:
    http://allrecipes.com/recipe/one-pot-pinto-beans/detail.aspx

    ...don't use the amount of pepper they say. It was WAY too much.
  • tlsegar
    tlsegar Posts: 185 Member
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    My favorite brand of canned black beans is Blue Runner. They are more of a creamy consistency and the flavoring is so good. Many times I will just heat up a can of those and sprinkle some shredded cheese on a serving. I only noticed Blue Runner when I moved to Louisiana so I'm not sure how hard it would be to find outside of the state.

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