If you are Latino/a you know that beans and rice are a staple in many countries. If you have a good pot of beans you are set for awhile. Beans go with so many things so the possibilities are many. But how do you get the perfect beans every single time?
I get my beans from my local bulk food supplier. The closest one to me is WinCo Foods and they have so many dry goods in bulk to choose from. A few other places to check are Whole Foods, Sprouts, and even your local Latino grocery/market will have a few dry goods to choose from, especially beans.
If you don’t have a bulk food store near you then getting the beans dry in a bag are just as good. I just prefer to not purchase any unnecessary plastic. You’ll find that it’s super easy to buy as few basic dry goods plastic free and store them in glass containers you already have or can easily get at a thrift store! I buy a few pounds of beans and store them in some pasta sauce jars that I cleaned and sanitized awhile back.
If you’d like to know how I easily cleaned all my glass jars I’ll make a post about it soon. It’s super easy!
I use only 2 cups of beans in my crock pot to get two jars full. One will be frozen for later and the other will be kept in the fridge for easy consumption. If stored in an airtight container cooked beans can last up to 2 weeks in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer! Although you may not reach that length because if it’s any good you’ll be eating them up quick.
Pour 2 cups of beans in and 4 cups of water. Add garlic, salt, pepper, and two bay leaves. Set the crock pot on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. You can essentially start this in the morning and have it ready for dinner.
The crock pot is a great tool to have if you still want home cooked meals but have chores, errands, or kids to take care of. I usually do this in the morning but it really depends on your schedule. I definitely recommend using your crock pot for beans if you are also meal prepping over the weekend.
The crock pot I use is your standard 4 quart slow cooker from Hamilton Beach. If you have a bigger one that is fine, the cooking time should be the same.
Once the time is up you want to check the beans by squeezing one. You want the beans to hold their shape when you scoop or stir them but you should be able to squeeze them easily. You can also blend or mash these to make refried black beans for other recipes.
Before storing the beans I let them cool. You can discard the bay leaves or leave them in, it doesn’t really make a difference. When they are ready to store make sure it’s in an air tight container. I try to use glass as much as possible and it is more freezer friendly than plastic containers.
Optional additions include ground cumin, cilantro, chili pepper or chopped jalapeños. My mother used to cook the green beans with pork, usually with a bone, and it always came out so good. But since my husband doesn’t eat a lot of pork I omitted this and still found them to be just as delicious. Perfect for your vegetarian or vegan friends! You can use the same recipe to make red, white, pinto, or even kidney beans!
Let me know in the comments below how yours turned out! What do you eat your black beans with? I’d love to know!
The Perfect Crock Pot Black Beans
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of dry black beans
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 medium white onion (optional)
- 1 tbsp of sea salt
- 1/2 tbsp of ground black pepper
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 4 cups of water
Equipment needed:
- Crock pot for 4 quarts minimum
- 2 – 32 oz mason jars, or glass jars that can hold a minimum of 24 oz
Instructions:
- Mince your garlic and measure your spices
- Add the black beans, garlic, salt, and bay leaves in the pot.
- Add in the water and stir so all the ingredients are mixed. Make sure the beans are settled evenly at the bottom before covering.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. Once done turn it off and let it cool.
- Check the beans by squeezing one. It should not feel like puree but slightly firm and squeezable.
- Store these in your glass jars. Wait until they have cooled before putting in the fridge or freezer.
- For immediate consumption, serve with white rice or use in a soup or salad once cooled.
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Amor y Ajo 
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