Refried Pinto Beans - Crockpot Method

Refried Pinto Beans – Crockpot Method
 
Beans, beans, the magical fruit, the more you eat the more you poot.  The more you poot the better you feel, so eat your beans at every meal! 
 
I’m not gonna lie, I used to spend over $3.00 USD for 2 servings of canned refried pinto beans.  And then I started buying dehydrated beans (*to get away from the endocrine disrupting chemicals they use to line canned goods - see below for more info), which was even more expensive.
 
Then one day I decided to go crazy and attempt making them from scratch, and OMG!  They are stupid easy and even better than anything you can get in a can.
 
And super inexpensive.  The only drag is the time it takes to make them.  So, I started making them in quantity and freezing meal-sized portions.
 

Prepping and Cooking Dried Pinto Beans
 
Ingredients:
6 cups dried pinto beans
Enough Water to cover (I prefer filtered water)

Directions:
Put dried pinto beans into crockpot and rinse several times with clean water.  Then fill the crockpot with enough water to cover beans by a couple of inches.
 
Do Not Turn On Yet.  Instead, let the dry beans soak overnight (8 – 12 hours). 

In the morning strain off soak water and fill again with fresh water, making sure to cover by at least 2-inches of water.
 
Cook on high for 8 hours. 
 
Yield:
15 cups of cooked beans with the bean water.
 
Store:
I typically separate the cooked beans (along with the cooking water) into 5 Pyrex containers, each with 3 cups of cooked pinto beans and some of the cooking liquid.  I typically put 4 into the freezer (cooked pinto beans store nicely for up to 5 months in the freezer), and one in the fridge, to be eaten in the next few days.

Making Refried Pinto Beans
 
Just 3 ingredients make these the tastiest refried beans I've ever eaten - every single time.  They make the perfect nachos, burritos, taco salads, or just a wonderful side dish to any of your Mexican favorites.
 
Key:
Palm = roughly a tablespoon
Pinch = roughly a teaspoon

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked pinto beans (with some of the cooking water) – thawed
3 tbs butter
half a pinch of salt (I like creole salt the best in this)
 
Directions:
If previously frozen, thaw your precooked beans in the fridge overnight.  Cook in medium sauce pan on medium heat until boiling.  Add in the salt and butter and let cook on medium low for at least a half hour.
 
I sometimes let my beans cook considerably longer (up to an hour).  The longer you cook the dryer your beans will be – adding cooking time is a great method for getting them as thick as you’d like.   If you want to thin your beans tip in a couple tbs of water.
 
That’s it.  By now you should have insanely good refried pinto beans, as tasty as any authentic Mexican restaurant, and without any unnecessary ingredients, or BPA lining the cans.
 
*BPA is used in lining cans, it is a known endocrine disruptor.  Other cans are coated in different chemicals they are not presently required to disclose.  Find more info about what canned goods are safe from hormone disrupting chemicals at:  EWG.ORG
 

Nutritional Benefits:

1 cup of cooked pinto beans provides:

• 15 grams Fiber
• 15 grams Protein
• 1 gram Fat

Pinto Beans:
B1 (Thiamine) – vital for metabolism, boosts brain function, protects the heart
Calcium - Muscles (including your heart) need calcium to function.
Iron - Transports oxygen and aids in DNA synthesis.
Magnesium - Involved in over 300 chemical reactions in the body, increases energy, elevates mood.
Phosphorus - Moves muscles and keeps bones and teeth strong.
Potassium - Regulates fluids in the body, relays nerve impulses.
Zinc – Plays key role in healthy immune systems, cell growth, and protects against inflammation.


#SideDish #BulkFoodPrep

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