Description
Traditional Tejano Beans are a flavorful and comforting dish, combining pinto beans with savory ingredients, garlic, jalapeños, and a touch of lime. They’re perfect as a side dish for Tex-Mex meals or as a hearty stand-alone option.
Ingredients
4 cups dry pinto beans
12 cups water (for stovetop version; adjust for slow cooker)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (or 1 tablespoon garlic powder)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (good quality)
1 jalapeño, left whole with a slit cut on two sides
1 savory ingredient (like a turkey leg or other substitute)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lime wedges, fresh, for garnish
Instructions
- Stovetop Instructions:
1. Rinse the dry beans and add them to a large stock pot with 12 cups of water.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Add garlic, onion, sugar, chicken bouillon, jalapeño, and savory ingredient. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat again.
4. Simmer with lid slightly vented for 2-3 hours, adding salt after 90 minutes.
5. Check for tenderness, remove savory ingredient, chop and return meat to the beans.
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and garnish with lime wedges.Slow Cooker Instructions:
1. Rinse dry beans and add to slow cooker. Fill with water until 2 inches above the beans.
2. Add all ingredients except salt.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, checking tenderness at 6 hours. Add salt in last hour.
4. Remove savory ingredient, chop meat and return it to the beans. Garnish with lime wedges.Quick Slow Cooker Method:
1. Fill the crockpot about 1/3 full with water on high, bring 1 ½ inches of water to a boil in a pot with rinsed beans. Simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Strain beans and add them to the crockpot with other ingredients. Check water level.
3. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, add salt during the last hour. Discard savory ingredient and return chopped meat. Garnish with lime wedges.
Notes
For a vegetarian option, omit the savory ingredient and add vegetable broth for flavor.
If you like extra heat, add more jalapeños or red pepper flakes.
For a smoky flavor, try adding smoked paprika.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop or Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 500mg
- Fat: 2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 9g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
