Questions about bean varieties

[blue_dolphin]

I've been cooking a fair bit from Nopalito which uses RG's Midnight black beans or Santa Maria Pinquitos as go-to side dishes and I've been enjoying both of them in that way, though Eye of the Goat is one of my favorites to serve as a side.

If you choose one you like, I don't think you can go wrong!

[kayb]

11 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

I still have pounds and pounds of Rancho Gordo that aren't getting any younger.  Tomorrow has to be beans.  Any suggestions?  When daylight comes I may post my inventory.

 

What I want is a simple batch of beans to accompany a Mexican meal.

 

 

My personal favorite to go with a Mexican meal is cranberry beans. Cook 'em an hour on high pressure (with no soak) with some onion, garlic and olive oil, a little cumin, a little smoked paprika. Salt and mash with a potato masher, let 'em simmer until they're as thick as you want. Hard to beat, particularly topped with some queso fresco.

Edited April 22, 2018 by kayb (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

What I have in stock are:

 

Ayocote Morado

Ayocote Amarillo

Ayocote Blanco

Rio Zape

Moro

Yellow Eye

Royal Corona

Pinquitos

 

And I just spilled a bag of chickpeas.  (Steve might consider more upscale packaging.)

 

 

In the past Ayocote have been problematic.  Moro was good.  But Rio Zape has been my favorite -- possibly why I have only a quarter pound left that I could find.  So I think for tonight it boils down to either Moro or Pinquitos.

 

@kayb the last of my Cranberry went off to a pot of Georgian stewed beans with herbs, one of the best bean dishes I have had:

 

 

 

Edit:  and I forgot, still a couple pounds of Marcella beans.

 

Edited April 22, 2018 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[rancho_gordo]

This is my favorite part of the New Yorker piece:

 

Quote

Watching Sando and Lupe cook, I realized what I’d been doing wrong. I’d been trying so hard to make my family love beans that my dishes had got more and more complicated, like the ones in Oklahoma. I’d added bacon, brown sugar, kielbasa, and Southern ham, whole heads of garlic and bunches of sage; I’d made minestrone, pasta e fagioli, and Brazilian feijoada. Good recipes, but poor psychology. Instead of showcasing the beans, I’d camouflaged them, turned them into a suspect food—an element to be rooted out, like the spinach that parents hide in pizza. 

 

I remember a well-known foodie customer coming into the store for a party where she was making carnitas and cochinita pibil and wanted some "yummy beans and a recipe" to go with all that. Where do you start. I suggested she have really plain beans I could see she was disappointed with my answer. 

 

Any of these would be great: 

Ayocote Morado

Ayocote Amarillo

Ayocote Blanco

Rio Zape

Moro

If the ayocote are really old, I would save them for another day or a pressure cooker. It could take forever and there's not much worse than waiting for beans. 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

When the Ayocote were new they took four hours in the pressure cooker!

 

[rancho_gordo]

16 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

When the Ayocote were new they took four hours in the pressure cooker!

 

I'm not so good at the pressure cooker but I've never had that happen. 
They do take longer. 
And my advice is always start with a 15 insane boil from hell. It lets the beans know you are in the boss. Then turn it down to a gentle simmer (or even lower if you have the time). Add hot water from a tea kettle as needed to so they are covered by an inch or so always. 

[Shelby]

20 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

When the Ayocote were new they took four hours in the pressure cooker!

 

Mine did too.  

 

I know I didn't soak them, though, and that was probably part of it.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

2 hours ago, Shelby said:

Mine did too.  

 

I know I didn't soak them, though, and that was probably part of it.  

 

I believe Steve has said somewhere Mexicans don't soak their beans.

 

[rancho_gordo]

21 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I believe Steve has said somewhere Mexicans don't soak their beans.

 

Mostly they don't. It's hard to speak in absolutes when it comes to Mexican cooks or beans! 

I'm not so good at pressure cookers so I may not have the best advise. 
I know the staff here cooks samples every day with a slow cooker, always unsoaked and always perfect. I hate to admit it but they're better than me now. 

[ChefPip]

Recently I cooked a stock pot of Anasazi Beans.   Somewhat a unique experience.

 

I've looked thru this thread to see if anyone else has  mentioned them but I didn't see them discussed.  They are from antiquity

and were found in a cave in Arizona that was inhabited by native Americans 2000 years ago.   Historians believe

they were brought up thru central America and distributed among native Americans across what is now the USA.

They store for long periods of time, germinate quickly when planted,  are drought tolerant,  and are thought to be sweeter than Pinto's.  These cook without soaking and claim to produce less gas for those who consume them.

 

In my reading I've learned that these red anasazi beans were credited with starting the "Heirloom Seed" movement a couple of

decades ago.   They have been grown for sometime since to where they can be purchased reasonably and are becoming more available now.  I was in Charleston, WV at the Farmers Market and found a vendor with a 4x4 box of them and purchased a pound for $3.50.   They are suggested for baked beans, casseroles, soups, and stews.  I understand those who participate in Chili Cook off's use these along with other varieties to achieve a more unique flavor. 

 

Amazon offers them here:

 

Anasazi Beans

 

To the OP's question,  Pinto's are more a typical dried bean since you are familiar with them.   I don't taste a Potato flavor in them. Perhaps a bit of Potato Texture.   Kidney Beans have a more solid to the bite mouth texture.  If you purchase dry Kidney beans you will want to soak them in the first batch of water and then drain  and rinse them before adding your fresh water to boil them in.  (not doing this can lead to gastro discomfort)   An old package of dry Kidney Beans may not cook well even after a long soaking.  But these beans should be a bit firm to the bite,  like spaghetti in the "al dente" level of cooking.

 

Where I live green pod beans such as white half runners are cooked quite tender.  These are often prepared  in a pressure cooker along with some Kennybec Potatoes and a rasher of bacon.  (or bacon grease or lard)  

 

As for the taste and texture,  the green pod beans such as white half runners,  Tennessee blue pod, and various other runner beans of the type are eaten pod and bean together.  They have a soft mouth texture with the bean being only slightly more firm to the bite.   Other pod beans such as the climbing Pole type are more firm to the bite and the flavor is different.  The bean is larger and similar to a pinto in size.  Varieties such as October or Cranberry would be in this category. 

 

Some of these bean varieties may seem tougher to chew but it is just their nature.  They may be softer in the interior.   It is easier to over cook them (such as Kidney beans) but it may not make that much difference in the end.    (just boil the Kidney beans for around 15 minutes before reducing heat for a slow cook)

 

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2018 by ChefPip (log)

[SLB]

FYI, Rancho Gordo opened their Bean Club recently to new members (it had been sold out for quite some time).  And apparently they're approaching their limit for new subscriptions.  So if you meant to join the RG Bean Club, I gather now is the time.  

 

Edited July 14, 2018 by SLB
Grammar! (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Missed it.  Again.

 

[rancho_gordo]

Sorry. We had spaces for weeks. 
If you really want to do it, sign up for the waitlist. There are openings every quarter and once we can handle capacity, we add more spaces as well. 
There is no obligation. The wait list only tells you that there are spaces available on a first come first serve basis. So you can ignore if you like 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

4 minutes ago, rancho_gordo said:

Sorry. We had spaces for weeks. 
If you really want to do it, sign up for the waitlist. There are openings every quarter and once we can handle capacity, we add more spaces as well. 
There is no obligation. The wait list only tells you that there are spaces available on a first come first serve basis. So you can ignore if you like 

 

Oh, I hadn't wanted to put my name on a waitlist because I am frequently broke (even for dried beans) and was afraid I'd be charged at a bad time.  I looked just now and couldn't find a waitlist.  I requested notification for when the product is back in stock...is that the waitlist?

 

[rancho_gordo]

41 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Oh, I hadn't wanted to put my name on a waitlist because I am frequently broke (even for dried beans) and was afraid I'd be charged at a bad time.  I looked just now and couldn't find a waitlist.  I requested notification for when the product is back in stock...is that the waitlist?

 

yes. We just need your email to contact you. We don't even save it! 

 

[blue_dolphin]

I took advantage of the recent openings to sign up. Just got my first box:

Better start eating more beans 🙃!

[Shelby]

1 minute ago, blue_dolphin said:

I took advantage of the recent openings to sign up. Just got my first box:

Better start eating more beans 🙃!

Oooooh spelt!

[Okanagancook]

Not sure how you folks cook spelt and farro but I recently cooked some farro for a salad.  I soaked it over night in the fridge then cooked it for just five to ten minutes...I forget exactly how long but kept tasting it because I wanted it chewy not soft.  It cooked very evenly and of course, not having to keep checking it on a longer cook was great.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Okanagancook (log)

[rotuts]

Rats

 

did not know about this 

 

but now I do.

 

I signed up !

 

to wait !

[blue_dolphin]

5 minutes ago, rotuts said:

Rats

 

did not know about this 

 

but now I do.

 

I signed up !

 

to wait !

 

I just signed up for the club to give me a nudge to eat more beans but I've been buying Rancho Gordo beans for at least 12 years and the quality is excellent.

Not everyone is a bean lover but these are the best!

[rotuts]

OK

 

as I have some Fathers Bits to use

 

Ill place an order

 

I might not get to the beans until it cools off a bit

 

but  I do love Bean w Bacon soup

 

maybe time   ( i.e. Sept. )  to make my own

 

hopefully , in an iPot 

 

after careful study.

[weinoo]

2 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

I took advantage of the recent openings to sign up. Just got my first box:

Better start eating more beans 🙃!

I got the same exact batch!

[rotuts]

And Ive got nothing

 

as I had no idea

 

but Im Hopeful !

 

that says something 

 

These Days !!

 

 

 

[Anna N]

 And I don’t even want to belong to this club.

[heidih]

I'd love to belong but since I'm just cooking for myself and not too fond of forever leftovers it is not happening.I love beans to the point I'd eat several times a day. Other cultures that have bean breakfasts like Ful Mudammas- I'm in.  I respect Steve's work immensely. Because of where I live I can get to some Latin mrkets with scoop your own beans and get at least 3 types and turnover is high. That rings my bell though....some day...Rancho Gordo

Edited July 20, 2018 by heidih (log)