These beans are easy to prepare but you need to soak the beans over night in the refrigerator before you start cooking them. The beans take all day to cook. After the overnight soak, beans get rinsed off and cooked with ONLY WATER till soft about two hours. DON’T even add salt or beans might not get soft……When you cook beans flavors can be added but not until they are almost done. Then the rest of the cooking happens and in 2 1/2 – 3 hours after that the beans will be done. I do warn you that the beans turn a weird muddy color when you start the last stretch of cooking but in the last hour of cooking turn the right bean color.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

1 lb dried pinto beans – soaked in a large tub of water over night in the refrigerator – Then rinsed.

6-7 cups of water (I started with 6 cups and it looked like it needed another cup 1/2 way)

6 1/2 oz sweet onion – minced

6 garlic cloves – minced

1 oz jalapeno – minced

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground annatto

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon course sea salt

Directions

Put a sauce pot medium high heat and add the canola oil. When it’s hot add the onions, garlic , jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, annatto, paprika, smoked paprika, black pepper, oregano and salt and cook till everything is soft. Add beans mix and blend with a stick blender. You will slowly reduce the heat. You have to occasionally stir the pot so the beans don’t get stuck to the bottom of pot. You want the beans to bubble a bit but not too much or they will explode all over the oven. Loosely cover half the pot with foil and eventually turn down the heat too low. I will repeat that the beans might be an offensive color but change when they are close to done. Occasionally stir the pot so beans don’t stick. The beans will be done in 2 1/2 – 3 hours.

Enjoy!