Questions about bean varieties

SLB · November 9, 2014

Hi everyone. I am new here, and I eat a lot of beans. [i eat a lot of cornbread, too, and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through this thread].

I agree with the Good Mother Stallard love, but I am wondering if I'm the only person who finds them really very similar to a fat red bean that Colombians eat, the Bola Roja. (When I say "really very similar," I really mean, "I'm not sure I see the difference").

I have no idea whether the bola rojas that I've consumed were "heirloom" -- although it's unlikely since at least once the brand on my bola roja bag was good ole' Goya.

Another Colombian bean that reminds me of the Good Mother Stallard is called "Cargamanto" on the Colombian package. It looks like a Bola Roja, but with some cranberry-bean-looking coloring mottling across the surface.

Also, for those that worry that mass-produced beans are never fresh enough, I just wanted to note that if you shop in the regular store in heavy bean-eating communities (like Latino communities, for example), the commercial beans will be quite fresh. When I first moved to a Latino neighborhood eight years ago, the Goya beans were so fresh that they would be done half an hour before the meat stock was done; I started making the stock separately so I wouldn't end up with bean mush every time. I have never had to deal with a chalky bean once I started buying them in the neighborhoods of ethnicities that eat them regularly.

It's of course true that you aren't going to get the subtlety or depth of flavor with mass-produced varieties that you will with, say, Rancho Gordo [Cayuga Organics, on the other hand . . . I honestly don't get why people pay for those beans at all, ever], but I think it's valuable to remember that one can find comparatively fresh beans at regular prices in places where the consumers are accustomed to them. This is kind of obvious but I wanted to repeat it.

Edited November 10, 2014 by SLB (log)

patrickamory · December 10, 2014

My first experience with white teparys, a very interesting bean, doesn't really taste like anything else - assertive but very different from other white beans (and not at all lentil-like despite what I've read)…

HERE

I tried the John Thorne 6-hour method in a clay pot in a 200 degree oven and the beans didn't cook. Moved it up to 225 for 45 minutes, and then finally 250 for 30-45 minutes and then they got perfect. Very simple Tuscan prep. What I did like from Thorne was keeping them "fed" with only a minimum of water (and olive oil), just barely enough to cover, for the entire process. I'm used to using a lot more liquid. I think the beans were more infused with the aromatics and oil, and the broth richer, via this method.

But back to 250F for me I think… in any event, a big vote for RG white teparys!

SLB · February 5, 2015

This thread is kinda dead, but I don't know where to take the news that I've just had my first Rancho Gordo "REMARKABLE" experience.

Just to be clear -- I think RG beans are wonderful, and I'm in full solidarity with the Xoxoc partnership . But I hadn't really experienced the *REMARKABLE* thing that so many others report, even with the Good Mother Stallards. (To be fair -- i live in a bean-eating neighborhood, so my basic beans at the grocery store are not ancient. They are not heirloom, no doubt; but they are not ancient in terms of shelf-time.)

Anyway. No *REMARKABLE*, bean-localized taste, until today. With, specifically, the Reboseros. Those are some gooooooood beans, y'all!

Also -- ahem: https://food52.com/contests/383-your-best-recipe-with-beans

Teach, people.

Edited February 5, 2015 by SLB (log)

**andiesenji** · February 5, 2015

This thread is kinda dead, but I don't know where to take the news that I've just had my first Rancho Gordo "REMARKABLE" experience.

Just to be clear -- I think RG beans are wonderful, and I'm in full solidarity with the Xoxoc partnership . But I hadn't really experienced the *REMARKABLE* thing that so many others report, even with the Good Mother Stallards. (To be fair -- i live in a bean-eating neighborhood, so my basic beans at the grocery store are not ancient. They are not heirloom, no doubt; but they are not ancient in terms of shelf-time.)

Anyway. No *REMARKABLE*, bean-localized taste, until today. With, specifically, the Reboseros. Those are some gooooooood beans, y'all!

Also -- ahem: https://food52.com/contests/383-your-best-recipe-with-beans

Teach, people.

Several weeks ago I cooked a combination of Reboseros and Moros with excellent results.

helenjp · February 5, 2015

A few years ago, I found a good source for South American beans in Japan. Ever since then, I've been trying to decide which I prefer: the little white Panamito beans or the yellow Canary beans (Mayacoba, Peruano are the same beans I think). I end up ordering and using them both. Panamito will cook down into a mush that can be used as a spread or a base; Canaries have a full but mild flavor without the dry grainy texture that Pintos sometimes have. These days my bean larder is kidneys, azuki, garbanzo, Panamito, and Canaries. And occasionally small amounts of tora-mame (Concord Pole Beans), just because they DO have a drier texture, Favas, and scarlet runners, because they are *not* meek and mild, but stick up for themselves in a stew!

patrickamory · February 28, 2015

I'm soaking a batch of Yellow Indian Woman beans to cook tomorrow. Any recommended preparation?

I have a variety of good stocks in the fridge.

Ttogull · March 1, 2015

I recently made Yellow Indian Woman beans. I kept the preparation "simple" with a smoked ham hock, a pig's foot, and some chicken stock. Awesome. I do not remember what I served them with, but a nice bone-in pork chop and roasted broccolini sounds very good right now.

The ham hock provided some nice ham bits, and together with the foot gave a nice thick texture to the beans. I always use a Mixteca salt from Rancho Gordo that acts like baking soda to give perfectly formed beans.

But I never soak.

**djyee100** · March 1, 2015

I'm soaking a batch of Yellow Indian Woman beans to cook tomorrow. Any recommended preparation?...

I thought I cooked them in Paula Wolfert's Piedmontese Soup, and posted about it on the dinner thread. Nope, I cooked Yellow Eye beans. But Yellow Eye and Yellow Indian Woman are similar, so I'll include the idea here.

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/143505-dinner-2010/page-11 -- see post #311

Sausage and bean combos speak to me when I think about these beans.

You could do a nice bean soup with aromatics (garlic, onion, carrots, olive oil), and some herbs (thyme, savory, sage, and/or rosemary). Towards the end of cooking time, add in some blanched chopped kale and duck sausage; or some chopped tomato and merguez sausage; then let the soup finish cooking. Dust some grated pecorino over the tomato/merguez soup before service.

Or you could do a kale and bean soup, then serve in bowls topped with a slice of toasted bread, prosciutto, and a poached egg. Shave some parmesan on top.

weinoo · March 1, 2015

I just received a nice order from, guess who...

**Shelby** · March 1, 2015

Nice, Mitch!!!!!

I am getting low on my supplies. Need to place an order soon. I've never tried the Red Nightfall. You'll have to let us know if you like 'em.

(btw, have you tried the salsa yet? it looks good!)

Paul Bacino · March 1, 2015

Bought these and really looking forward to working with them. Lately I have been looking for beans from Steve's THE RANCHO GORDO-XOXOC PROJECT

Alubia Blanca de San Jose Iturbide

Gonna make a Tuscan Bean soup

Edited March 1, 2015 by Paul Bacino (log)

patrickamory · March 1, 2015

Thanks for the ideas, folks. Seems like I will be looking for some meat when I go shopping today…will play it by ear. I will report back.

weinoo · March 1, 2015

Nice, Mitch!!!!!

I am getting low on my supplies. Need to place an order soon. I've never tried the Red Nightfall. You'll have to let us know if you like 'em.

(btw, have you tried the salsa yet? it looks good!)

Haven't tried the salsa yet, but I'm probably gonna use it as a condiment for the pot of beans I'm planning on making today.

Steve told me that the Eye of the Goat beans are really good, but the harvest this year was meager.

patrickamory · March 2, 2015

So what I did was… soaked 2/3 cup YIW beans overnight as mentioned above, drained and reserved the soaking liquid. Keep the soaking liquid just below the boil in a pot on the stove.

Other ingredients:

1/4 cup+ olive oil

2 stalks celery, diced

3 small carrots, diced

1 fresh jalapeño, diced

1 small head of garlic, sliced in half "across the equator", only one half used

1 bay leaves

handful of fresh oregano, torn

handful of fresh sage leaves, torn

2 tsp ya cai, chopped

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

3 allspice berries, crushed

1 large pinch of kosher salt (prob close to 1 tbs)

1 1/4 cup homemade roast chicken stock

I prepared this in an unglazed Rifi tagine.

First heat the tagine over a medium-low flame, using a heat diffuser if necessary. Add the olive oil. Add the celery and carrots and soften for about 10 minutes. Add the chunk of garlic head about halfway through. Then add the jalapeño and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Then add the bay leaves, oregano, sage, ya cai, black pepper and allspice and continue simmering for another 1-2 minutes. Finally add the drained beans and stir thoroughly. Now add the chicken stock and stir thoroughly. Add enough reserved bean liquid so that the liquid is just above the level of the beans, increase the heat to the level that you think the tagine can take, and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat to minimum, and simmer for 3 hours, checking liquid level and adding a bit of the hot soaking liquid as necessary.

Serve with white rice or bread. This was dynamically good: earthy, meaty, creamy and full of umami and depth. (I'd bought hot Italian sausage and actually browned it and then deglazed that pan with bean liquid, intending to add it - it was totally unnecessary, and will be set aside for a pasta later this week.) Pictures in the dinner thread.

SLB · June 18, 2015

For no reason actually worthy of this thread, I am extremely excited to have some RG Royal Corona's soaking. I've never had them, and have convinced myself that they are gonna taste as dramatic as they look as they're puckering up . . .

Happy summer, y'all.

patrickamory · June 18, 2015

The Royal Coronas rule.

I take back everything I said about RG Midnight black beans after trying the SE cooked from dry recipe.

JoNorvelleWalker · January 29, 2016

I've recently cooked up a couple good pots of Rancho Gordo beans, but tonight I ran into a problem. These beans are Ayocote Amarillo. Beautiful beans. After five and a half hours the Ayocote Amarillo are still hard and crunchy. Had to put on a pot of rice and shift to plan B for dinner. (Plan C is canned Progresso black bean soup.)

No acid anywhere near these beans. Admittedly I did not soak. Not sure where I went wrong. Even used filtered water. The Ayocote Amarillo smell so wonderful. I'm granting them another hour.

On his site Steve says "for some reason Ayocote beans fell out of favor with many Mexicans..." Could it be because the Ayocote beans don't cook?

rancho_gordo · January 29, 2016

They are a very starchy bean and they do require extra time and maybe a longer boil up front.

I'm sorry about your disaster meal!

gfron1 · January 29, 2016

I had those same beans a week or so ago, and because of my work schedule we just do them in the crock all day (boil then drop to a simmer, covered) started at 8am. Perfect. In a separate pot I cooked my house cured bacon with a chopped onion, and threw the whole thing in the beans, grease an all. Delish with a splash of hot sauce.

SLB · January 30, 2016

1 hour ago, gfron1 said:

. . . we just do them in the crock all day (boil then drop to a simmer, covered) started at 8am. Perfect . . . .

gfron1, just to ask the obvious, no soak, then?

I have had beans just not cook, though. It's weird. Also, I had some perfectly cooked RG Vaqueros from a couple of weeks back -- delicious at the outset -- which, very oddly, seemed to get chalky after a few days in the fridge. I've never had that happen and have no ideas at all. Not that this stopped me from finishing them.

Meanwhile -- the Bean of The Week that's getting cooked tomorrow is Purcell Rattlesnake. I could live on pinto beans, I love them so much, and I've heard such good things about the intensified flavor of rattlesnake beans, I can't wait. I'm having folks over for [drunk] brunch on Sunday, and I think we're having bean enchiladas, depending on how the Rattlesnakes turn out. Possibly with some chicken if I can find some in the freezer. And definitely with some Meyer lemon margaritas, since we have the Meyer lemons these days.

Edited January 30, 2016 by SLB (log)

Katie Meadow · January 30, 2016

Yeah, 'Snakes in a Pot! Tried and true, them rattlers.

JoNorvelleWalker · January 30, 2016

7 hours ago, rancho_gordo said:

They are a very starchy bean and they do require extra time and maybe a longer boil up front.

I'm sorry about your disaster meal!

Thanks. I let the Ayocote Amarillo cook thirty six hours in the olla, after being boiled hard for fifteen minutes. No joy, but at least less crunchy than the night before.

On the bright side, today FedEx delivered thirteen pounds of beans from you, none of which were Ayocote. So sad, because the Ayocote Amarillo smelled so good.

**andiesenji** · January 30, 2016

57 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

Thanks. I let the Ayocote Amarillo cook thirty six hours in the olla, after being boiled hard for fifteen minutes. No joy, but at least less crunchy than the night before.

On the bright side, today FedEx delivered thirteen pounds of beans from you, none of which were Ayocote. So sad, because the Ayocote Amarillo smelled so good.

That is one bean variety that I cook in the pressure cooker. I have an electric one and I cook them on high pressure for 45 minutes and they are still intact and not at all mushy. I then put them in a crock with "additives" and make baked beans. Even after the cooking in the oven they are still intact.

JoNorvelleWalker · January 30, 2016

9 minutes ago, andiesenji said:

That is one bean variety that I cook in the pressure cooker. I have an electric one and I cook them on high pressure for 45 minutes and they are still intact and not at all mushy. I then put them in a crock with "additives" and make baked beans. Even after the cooking in the oven they are still intact.

I'm so glad that I am not the only one!

gfron1 · January 30, 2016

17 hours ago, SLB said:

gfron1, just to ask the obvious, no soak, then?

I never soak my beans, ever, no variety, nope. Not gonna do it.

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