I like to cook pepper crusted bacon and add it to the beans in the beginning. Plus, I like my food spicy, so I add jalapenos, onion and fresh garlic. Received many compliments.

When you dont have time to watch a pot on the stove, try adding 4 cups of washed/rinsed pintos in a crock pot, (standard size ) a tsp of salt. and 1 or two smoked ham hocks. Fill the pot with water, cover and cook on high for about 6 to 8 hours.. Take out ham hock and debone and return to beans.

If you want to kick this up to "Mountain" style, cook until tender, reduce heat, add 1 lg. chopped onion, 1 green pepper-chopped, 1/2 lb. bacon, diced, browned then drained, 2 tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tbsp. mustard, 1/2 tsp. hot sauce or to taste - and 2 tsp. Worcestershire... you will NOT believe what these added ingredients can turn a simple pot of beans into... fantastic - served with corn bread... if you do this one time with a pot of beans - you will ALWAYS do this... you could do a ham hock in place of the bacon. YUMMMMM!!!!

Everyone has their own great way to cook pintos. I wash, discard bad ones, add to my boiling water with cured side meat, then turn down burner cooking slow. I also add enough water that I want have to constantly be adding during cooking. Right when they get done, I turn back up bringing to a full boil, adding my salt. Beans are nice color, plenty of thick juice... Salt sometimes if added earlier on can make some beans hard and humid weather also effects the cooking time making it longer....

I will disagree with Barb, this is the proper way to prepare the beans if this is the way you like them and I love them like this. I too am from the south and I never saw my Mom or grandmothers pre-soak the beans, pinto or "white". Just wash and sort through them, put them in a pot to boil and the simmer most of the day. Put in the fatback or jowl or ham, salt and keep checking on the water level as they cook. You can add tomatoes or Rotel it you want and onions too. But I'm a purist, I just want the beans seasoned with the meat. You decide what's the proper way for you to prepare these beans.

Born and raised in Texas and after cleaning & washing our beans, we never soaked them but added water, fatback, garlic, onions or onion powder and brought to a boil, then lowered heat to simmer till done. Depending on what we were using them for, other spices and ingredients would also be used, but we were talking about cooking pinto beans. My favorite was all the above and adding cumin and chili powder, not to overwhelm, but to enhance the flavor.

Our southern cooking style: pre-soak for digestibility and shorter cooking time. Start beans in a pot of cold water. (Never boiling water which causes the skins to slip off the beans.) Add ham hock and other seasonings to taste and cook the beans down to very little water, then add boiling water back to the pot and finish cooking. The cook-down makes the best bean gravy.

Totally agree with you.

I just want to thank everybody about the receipts. Really good ingredients to try with beans. I will try them all! Thank you! Thank you!

This sounds like a good method. I have tried many depending on time and who will be eating. It doesn't matter if you are from the South as I am or any other region.The south may have some differences also - Texans may use beef bones for flavor, whereas other areas may use pork or poultry products. I was taught to soak beans several hours and the "quick" soak method. However, I like the overnight slow cooking in an old metal dutch oven I've used over the years. Due to health issues, I use poultry parts, or broth, and seasonings. I must admit that sometimes I really do want the ham hocks or bacon,- fat is good - tastewise! In closing, thanks to those commentors who explained beans and the gas issue. During my childhood, some people loved singing that bean song. . .beans, beans, good for your heart . . .

As one who always soaked pintos before cooking and always used some sort of meat product as flavoring (usually pork), I really enjoyed this recipe. It was super easy and tasty! I followed the recipe as written and it was great. I then added garlic, canned tomatoes, cumin and chili powder and it was even better. A great pot of beans and it fixed my craving! I will be making pintos this way often.

I love pinto beans! But, I sort then cover in water and bring to a full boil. Boil for one minute, turn heat off, cover and let stand for 1 hr. Drain, then cover in water again. Add chopped onion and smoked ham hock. Cook on slow simmer with lid on but cocked for about an hour till almost tender. Add a couple of potatoes, largely diced and some sliced smoked sausage. When beans and potatoes are done, remove from fire. Take ham hock out, remove meat from the bone and return to beans. At that time I salt and pepper to taste. River beans!!

Here is how I do beans. Cover with water bring to boil. Boil 2 minutes. Cover and let set for 1 hour. Drain water, add 1 can of beef broth and 1 can of vegetable broth, 1 large chopped onion, 1 stalk celery, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, chopped, 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp. Worcestershire and turkey Kielbasa, add hot sauce to taste. Bring to boil and then cook on medium-low until tender and thick. May need to add water.

I use bacon grease instead of oil and a can of chicken broth when I add the onions so good I also add about 6 slices of cooked bacon crumbled. Yummy this was my grandmothers way of showing us granddaughters how to cook the beans these are a Mexican staple for many meals and dishes when beans are needed.

HillBilly Beans.. 1 bag of pinto beans, sort beans and clean any rocks, twigs and etc... rinse well, In a dutch oven note: I really think a dutch oven makes beans better, add 1 med chopped onion, ham hocks, or I use a pork shoulder and cut the ham off the bone, it makes the beans have a better taste. cook 4 to 5 hours or until tender add 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp sea salt. or season to taste :) cook some cornbread

Hi Jewel, I really like your recipe for pinto beans. I love them, been eating them all of my life. I am from the deep south also. Bred, born, and educated here, in Birmingham, Al. I prepare and cook my beans exactly as you do. Taught to me by my mom and aunts. Do you ever try seasoning with meat? I can understand why not if you are vegetarian or being very careful of fat calories. There is no "proper" way of preparing pintos. You have to decide for yourself and your family. What cook wants to prepare something that no one will eat? But if you and your family like meat, please try these sometimes. Bacon, salt pork or fatback rendered, so that you can measure the exact amt.of fat that you want or need. Also try smoked turkey necks, hamhocks, pig ears, pigtails, ham, and roasted pork shoulder or beef roast. And there is one more thing that I would like for you to try. Okra. Add one-half pound of frozen sliced or whole baby okra during g the last 20-30 mins.of cooking time. Delicious. I hope that you and your family are willing to give it a try.

For pinto beans, I put a pot of water on the eye on high, add clean beans, chopped onion, whole pods of okra (1-2), one half clean bell pepper, and salt and sweet pepper, cook adding water as needed until done. Really good, serve with hot cornbread.

You can cook them several ways... but I was taught to soak them to make them tender. Beans give you GAS. Lol