Cooking Pinto Beans
Tips for Cooking Pinto Beans
A simple act of cooking pinto beans can make a big change in anyone’s dietary regime. In a health conscious society, one of the best food considerations is dried beans; one of the world’s most nutritious foods.
Dried beans are extremely high in protein, dietary fiber, folate and very low in fat and calories. A great benefit to eating the delicious legumes is the fact that they help to lower cholesterol. Cooking pinto beans and using them in a variety of different dishes will provide healthy bonuses plus introduce your family to a delicious dining trend.
As with any dry beans, the first step before cooking pinto beans is sorting them. Removing any foreign matter or deformed beans will ensure a cleaner cooking process. Rinse the dried beans in a sieve or colander, mixing with your hand, to remove any lingering dirt that may have been inadvertently packaged.
There are now two options for cooking pinto beans. Some people like to soak the beans in water overnight, usually adding baking soda to the water to “de-gas” the beans. Since it is due to an unexpected increase in fiber that the human body develops gas, the baking soda really does nothing but add sodium. This water is then drained off the next day and the beans rinsed in cool, clean water before cooking pinto beans to doneness. Other people pass on the soaking and go right for the cooking. Either way, expect it to take four to five hours for cooking pinto beans.
When cooking pinto beans, plenty of water is the key. Add cold water to cover the dried beans plus about 2 or 3 inches. Bring the water to a vigorous boil, then put a lid on the cooking pinto beans and allow them to simmer for about ½ hour. Remove from heat after the ½ hour; keep the pot covered while the beans sit in the hot water. After an hour of soaking, return the beans to high heat. Check the water level to be sure the beans have at least one inch of water over them, and bring them to a roiling boil once again. Reduce heat; simmer the cooking pinto beans with the lid on for approximately 4 more hours, adding water as needed to keep the beans covered.
Once finished with the cooking, pinto beans will appear pretty pink and be plump and soft. They can now be seasoned with onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Mashing the beans will create a pasty consistency desirable in many Mexican recipes. Charro bean soup can be made by adding onion, spices, jalapenos and some finely diced vegetables.
Adding beans to your weekly diet will produce great healthy benefits; by cooking pinto beans, you will have the basis for various delicious dishes at your disposal as well. Enjoying one of the world’s most nutritious foods is as close as four hours away.