Simmering Black Beans
A pot of beans is the anchor of a week's worth of meals. Once you learn to coax the starch out of the bean into the liquid, you stop needing heavy thickeners and start relying on the bean's own chemistry.
The bean must be hydrated before the heat hits it.
If you skip the soak, the beans will cook unevenly, leaving you with a mix of mushy exteriors and chalky, raw centers.
- large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- colander
- wooden spoon
What goes in.
- 1 lbdried black beans, sorted for stones
- 1 largewhite onion, peeled and halved
- 4 clovesgarlic, smashed
- 2dried bay leaves
- 2 tbspneutral oil or lard
- 1 tbspkosher salt
Don't salt until the end
Adding salt at the start toughens the outer skin, preventing the interior from softening. Wait until the beans are tender to season the pot.
The method.
Soak
Place beans in a large bowl, cover with two inches of cold water, and let sit on the counter for at least 8 hours.
Rinse
Drain the soaking water through a colander and rinse the beans thoroughly under cold running water.
Simmer
Add beans, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and oil to the pot. Cover with fresh water by two inches. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to the lowest possible simmer.
Monitor
Cook partially covered for 1.5 to 2 hours. Skim off any white foam that rises to the surface early on.
Season
Test a bean by pressing it against the side of the pot. When it yields completely without resistance, add the salt and stir. Let it simmer for 15 more minutes to absorb the flavor.
Other turns to take.
Smoky Depth
Add a ham hock or a strip of thick-cut bacon to the pot during the initial simmer.
Citrus Finish
Stir in a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a splash of vinegar just before serving to brighten the earthy flavor.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the water level drops below the beans during simmering, add boiling water from a kettle to maintain temperature.
Keep the heat low enough that the surface of the liquid barely trembles; a rolling boil shreds the beans.
The pot liquor is as valuable as the beans—serve them together in deep bowls.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use an old bag of dried beans?
Beans older than a year take significantly longer to soften and may never reach a creamy texture regardless of how long you simmer them.
Why is my pot liquor thin?
You likely used too much water or the beans were not starchy enough. Mash a cup of the finished beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in to thicken the broth.
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