Black Bean Stew
This is a dish of patience and heavy pots. It transforms humble pantry staples into a dense, grounding meal that sits heavy on the spoon.
The pot matters more than the bean.
Use a heavy-bottomed cast iron pot or Dutch oven. It distributes heat evenly, preventing the bottom from scorching during the long simmer.
- Heavy-bottomed Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
- Chef's knife
What goes in.
- 1 lbdried black beans, soaked overnight
- 3 tbspbacon fat or olive oil
- 2large yellow onions, diced
- 4cloves garlic, smashed and minced
- 1green bell pepper, diced
- 2bay leaves
- 1 tspdried oregano
- to tastekosher salt and black pepper
Creating the body
Once the beans are tender, use the back of your spoon to crush about a cup of them against the side of the pot and stir them back into the liquid.
The method.
Sauté the base
Heat the fat in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and peppers. Cook until the onions move from translucent to a deep amber color, about 10 minutes.
Toast the aromatics
Add the garlic and oregano. Stir for one minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
Simmer
Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot with 6 cups of water and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a low, lazy simmer. Cover partially.
Finish
Cook for 2 hours until the beans yield to pressure. Remove the lid, perform the mash, and season generously with salt.
Other turns to take.
Smoky Finish
Add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or a chopped chipotle pepper at the beginning of the simmer.
Citrus Cut
Stir in the juice of one lime right before serving to brighten the earthiness of the beans.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Do not add salt until the end; salt early and the bean skins will remain tough no matter how long you simmer them.
If the liquid level drops too low before the beans are soft, add a splash of boiling water.
This dish tastes better the next day after the starches have fully settled.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use canned beans?
You can, but you lose the starchy, thick broth that comes from the natural bean liquid. If using canned, rinse them and simmer with fresh broth for 30 minutes.
How do I know the beans are done?
A finished bean should have a creamy, uniform interior with no hard center when pressed against the roof of your mouth.