New Mexican Style Pinto Beans

By scottsdalejulie

These New Mexican Style Pinto Beans are worth the wait. Start the day ahead by soaking the beans overnight, and then cook them for over 4 hours.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried pinto beans
• water
• 1/4 pound salt pork
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)

Preparation

Step 1

*Soak beans in water overnight.

With a sharp knife, make several slashes into, but not all the way through, the salt pork.

Pour off soaking water and add fresh water to cover by at least one inch. Add the salt pork, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano.

Simmer on low heat at least 4 hours or until water is absorbed and mixture is thick.

*Dried beans cook faster if they are soaked. Cover beans with 2 inches of water, soak them overnight, drain, and then cook according to your recipe. A shortcut to overnight soaking is to cover the beans with plenty of water, bring them to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, cover tightly, and let them sit for 1 hour. Then, drain and cook as usual.