Cuban Style Black Beans
- 3 cup dried black beans
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 green pepper
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 handful of cilantro, tied with cooking twine
- 1 hamhock
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 small lime, cut in half and seeds removed
- 1 bay leaf
- Pick through beans to remove and small rocks, debris and broken beans.
- I place on a large platter in small batches and move picked through beans to one side.
- Wash and drain cleaned beans.
- I use a quick cook method to start.
- Place beans in a large pot and cover with cold water.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- When it comes to a boil, turn off heat, cover and let rest one hour.
- Now rinse beans and add to a large stock pot or dutch oven.
- I use a ceramic coated cast iron.
- I like the heat retention of this cooking vessel.
- Cover beans with fresh warm water.
- Water level should be about 4 inches over beans.
- Add crushed garlic.
- Cut green pepper in half, deseed and remove top.
- Add in too.
- Remove skin off of onion, cut in half add this along with ham hock and tied up cilantro, bay leaf.
- Lastly add in cumin.
- Bring pot to a low boil on medium-high heat.
- Reduce to low and cover.
- Simmer for 11/2 hours.
- Add in salt and lime after 11/2 hours.
- Adding salt in the beginning results in a tougher bean.
- Simmer another 15 minutes until beans reach a tender state.
- Remove garlic, onion, pepper, lime and cilantro.
- Discard.
- Remove hamhock and remove meat from bone.
- Cut into small dice and set aside.
- Drain liquid from beans.
- You may reserve this if you wish to make black bean soup.
- Add ham bits into beans if you wish.
- Serve beans over rice and most Cubans will suggest finely diced fresh red onion on top!
- You may freeze portions to reserve for later use.
- I do since this is a longer process.
- Just thaw and heat.
- Recipe by taylor68too.
- To make this a vegetarian version, omit the hamhock.
- You lose some flavor but it will still be good.
black beans, garlic, white onion, green pepper, cumin, handful of cilantro, hamhock, salt, lime, bay leaf
Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/344621-cuban-style-black-beans (may not work)