Save your bacon strips for eating and use the ends and pieces for flavor.
Pintos are the quintessential Mexican staple. If I’m having burrito night (or taco night), there are always pintos or black beans involved. They’re good for you, are simple to make in the slow cooker, can be frozen and reheat well.
As with all beans, soak them overnight. In the morning, rinse and add to the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 1 bag (or about 2 cups) pinto beans
- 3 strips bacon
- 1 onion, peeled and cut in half
- 2 jalapenos, seeded and cut in half
- 1 Tbsp epazote or oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder (I prefer the smoky flavor; you can use cayenne if you prefer a sharper flavor)
- Smoked Tabasco chipotle sauce
- 3 Tbsp white vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Add rinsed beans to your slow cooker. Add bacon, onion, jalapeno, epazote, bay leaf and chipotle powder. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or longer on low.*
About 30 minutes before serving, add vinegar, a few shakes of Tabasco and salt to taste.
Fish out the chunks of onion and jalapeno before serving.
* Note: my slow cooker seems to prefer to cook on high. I get much better results that way. This wasn’t the case with my old crock pot, which scorched everything on high. Know your device and plan accordingly.
Results
Beans are always a hit with the Tiny Kitchen Assistant, particularly now that I’ve figured out that large chunks of jalapeno deliver a nice flavor without the risk of the TKA hitting a spicy bite and ruining the meal with tears. Happy kid = happy parents.