Beans, Beans, Beans -- Frijoles de Olla
A pot of homemade beans not only tastes better than canned beans, but they can also be stored in the freezer for months at a time.
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr
- Yield
- 12 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 cups dried beans
- 1 small onion
- 2-3 tablespoons lard ((optional))
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 2-3 quarts water
Instructions
- 1
Sort through the beans and discard any rocks or shriveled beans. Rinse the beans and drain well.
- 2
Add beans to a pot and cover with 2-3 quarts of water, or so the water level is 2" above the beans. Add the roughly chopped onion and 2-3 tablespoons of lard.
- 3
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and partially cover. Let simmer for 1.5-2 hours.
- 4
Ensure that the water level is well above the beans by adding more water if you need to.
- 5
Start tasting them after 1 1/2 hours. If they are hard or grainy they need a little more time.
- 6
Once they are close add 1 teaspoon of salt and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Salt to taste and add more if necessary. (I probably used a heaping 2 teaspoons total for this batch.)
- 7
If you want, portion into 1 cup sized bags (or jars). Include plenty of the broth in the portion bags. They will keep in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for months at a time.