Slow Pinto Beans with Salt Pork and Onion

Pinto beans slow-simmer with salt pork, onion, and dried chile until smoky and spoon-tender. In Cast Iron on the Chisholm, trail cooks fed the drive from Dutch ovens an hour before false dawn.

Serves 6

Estimate for one serving

• 280 cal
• 12g protein
• 24g carbs
• 8g fat
• 12g fiber

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Ingredients

• 2 cups dried pinto beans
• 8 oz salt pork
• 2 medium onion
• 2 pods dried chile
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• 0.5 cup strong black coffee
• 8 cups water

Instructions

1. 1Rinse dried pinto beans and soak in water overnight or quick-soak by boiling 2 minutes then resting 1 hour.
2. 2In a large cast-iron Dutch oven, combine soaked beans, water, salt pork, halved onion, dried chile pods, black pepper, salt, and coffee.
3. 3Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 2 hours until beans are tender and smoky.
4. 4Remove salt pork, dice it, and stir back into the beans; adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.
5. 5Mash a few beans against the side of the pot to thicken the broth before serving hot.