Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans (Slow Cooker Mexican Beans)
These Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans are the perfect blend of Southern and Mexican pinto beans styles. Tenderly slow cooked with a ham hock and jalapeños, the lime adds a little twist. Perfect for a burrito, these beans will make you feel like you are in Texas, and really, what more could you ask for?
Originally posted February 20, 2015
On Monday Eric and I brought the kids to Muir Woods in the Bay Area with his parents who are visiting. We went on a beautiful hike in the Redwoods, and pretended we were Luke and Leia blasting Stormtroopers with Ewoks. I mean, Redwoods are great, but Redwoods + Star Wars? Better. Definitely better.
For being a scrawny 4-year-old little girl, Charlotte is a pretty hardcore hiker. She did the whole 3-4 mile hike on her own, with no meltdowns and only minimal candy bribing. In other words, a complete success.
Actually, the only time she cried was when I squirted her in the face with a blast of cold water. Gotta keep these kids in line… Oh my gosh, I’m joking. It was an accident, I swear! I was trying to let her sip from my Camelbak. The minute I took the cap off it blasted her in the face. Of course I started busting up laughing and I had to hide my face while she sobbed into my shoulder. Such a sympathetic mother. Seeing someone get squirted in the face is funny, ok? Even if they are 4.
Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans
Eric’s family is Swedish, and it’s been really fun to get into their food traditions over the years. Swedish Meatballs, Butter Pecans, Spritz cookies…so much good stuff. My sister Laura married into a family from southern Texas, and the only reason I’m not jealous is because she shares all their awesome Tejano recipes with me. (Tejano meaning Mexican-American-Southern-Texan cuisine.)
Over Christmas, my whole family got together at my parents house for a couple weeks…all 25 of us. On my sister Laura’s night to cook, she made us this awesome dinner with this Carne Guisada, guacamole, rice…and these beans. These amazing, delicious beans. We could not stop talking about them.
How to cook Pinto Beans Mexican Style
The recipe is from my brother-in-law Adam’s grandma, who came from a long line of Tejanos, so it’s about as authentic as you can get. His whole family lovingly calls them “Grandma’s Beans.” I’m a little bit obsessed with them. The ham bone gives it that rich Southern pork-and-beans feel, but then you add the jalapeno, garlic, and lime wedges and it gives it this great Mexican twist.
They are meant to be a side dish, but if you want to slap them in a tortilla I won’t judge you. (I personally eat them with a shovel.) Hopefully you can tell from the photos that these beans are meant to be more wet than dry. They’re not the same consistency as refried beans. Adam’s family calls it “bean gravy.”
These beans are easy to make, and there is very minimal chopping, but they do take a while. There’s just no getting around the fact that beans take a while to cook, and using canned beans as a substitute just doesn’t give the same flavor. They are already cooked, and so there is no way for them to soak up the other flavors in the pot. I’ve provided 3 cooking methods below: stovetop, crock pot, and quick crock pot.
To add the heat, you don’t need to chop the jalapeño, just slit it on both sides like this and toss it in whole. Don’t fuss about dicing the onion, just slice it a few times. It will cook down.
Pair these with the Carne Guisada recipe I mentioned–best burritos of my life! (Special thanks to Laura for putting up with my incessant texting the day I made this. You rock. Way to share the Tejano wealth.)
More great south of the border style recipes you will love:
- Here’s the Carne Guisada (Braised Beef for Tacos) recipe, it goes perfect with these beans!
- Slow Cooker Pork Tacos with Mexican Coleslaw << Really to die for tacos
- Corn Salsa with Lime << This is such a refreshing salsa
- How to Make Authentic Pico de Gallo << A must have for a Mexican meal
- Mexican Street Corn Dip << Pass the tortilla chips, you can’t stop with this dip!
- Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
Beans, Beans, and more Beans!
- Red Beans and Rice (Better than Popeye’s) << It’s true – these are the great Southern beans you need!
- Santa Maria Pinquito Beans << The California regional beans meant to go with Tri-Tip!
- Bacon Baked Beans << Everything’s better with bacon
- Cowboy Pinto Bean Soup (Frijoles Charros) << Another great family recipe, this time from my mother-in-law
- Drunken Beans from Gimme Some Oven
- Slow Cooker Charro Beans from Five Heart Home
- Crock Pot Cowboy Beans from The Two Bite Club
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Traditional Tejano Beans (Mexican Pinto Beans)
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry pinto beans
- 12 cups water, 12 cups for stovetop version; see crock pot instructions for water amounts
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed (or 1 tablespoon garlic powder)
- 1 medium onion, very roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon, good quality
- 1 jalapenos, left whole, but with a slit cut on two sides
- 1 ham bone, or ham hock*
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- lime wedges, fresh, to garnish
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions:
- Rinse the dry beans in a colander. Put them in a large stock pot and add 12 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a medium-low simmer.
- Add the garlic, onion, sugar, chicken bouillon, jalapeno/s, and ham bone. Bring to a boil again and then reduce the heat to medium low.
- Simmer on medium low with the lid on but vented. (Tilted so that it's not sealed) Stir occasionally.
- Cook for 2-3 hours. After about an hour and a half, add salt so that it can absorb into the beans as they finish cooking. I added somewhere between 2-3 teaspoons, but taste as you go. The beans will continue to absorb the salt as they finish cooking, so be cautious.
- Continue cooking until the beans are tender. Taste them ; if the beans are still hard or chalky, keep simmering. Don't wait until the liquid has cooked off so much that they look like refried beans--you want plenty of bean gravy.
- Remove the ham bone and discard (if there is any meat on it, chop it and add it to the pot).
- Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh limes.
Slow cooker instructions:
- Rinse the dry beans in a colander.* Add to a crock pot, then fill the pot with water until it reaches 2 inches above the beans. Add all the other ingredients except the salt.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Start checking at 6 hours and taste. Add the salt for the last hour of cooking.
- Remove the ham bone and discard (if there is any meat on it, chop it and add it to the pot).
- Garnish with limes.
Quick Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Fill your crock pot about 1/3 of the way with water. Turn the crock pot to high and put on the lid. Set aside.
- Put the rinsed beans in a large stock pot and add water 1 and 1/2 inches above the beans.
- Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Pour the beans into a colander and strain well.
- Add the beans to the crock pot with the heated water. Add the rest of the ingredients, excluding the salt. When all the ingredients are added, check the water level. The water should be about 1 and 1/2 inches above the beans. Add or remove water accordingly.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours, adding the salt for the last hour or so.
- Remove the ham bone and discard (if there is any meat on it, chop it and add it to the pot).
- Season with pepper to taste, garnish with limes.
Notes
Nutrition
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Looking forward to these in a few hours! I also added in 1t of tomato bullion, 1t of beef (better than bullion), 1t pepper, garlic salt & a dash of oregano along with the other ingredients.) I’ll be freezing half the recipe to enjoy later. :)
Hi Lori, I’ve never heard of tomato bouillon! So interesting! Thanks for sharing :)
Made these tonight–they hit the spot! But I didn’t realize how much it made…lol. Can you freeze leftovers?
Hi Alex! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. Yes, beans freeze marvelously! Toss them in a ziplock and freeze for 3-6 months. Let thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or stovetop. Enjoy!
I freeze beans all the time. They are maybe even better reheated from the freezer! I can’t wait to try these Saturday for a family get together
All I can say is Outstanding! Served this last night and it was a big hit. Top off each serving with a little cojita cheese and pickled jalapenos. A very nice difference from making my grandmother’s boston baked beans all the time.
This Recipe is the Bomb! Pay Attention to your Beans! 😉 I’m born and raised in Michigan! This is Fantastic Winter Food! I love my cast iron pot!😁😘❤
This is my go to recipe for pinto beans. They are also fantastic refried the next day. Thank you Karen for another tried and true recipe!
I have made these beans a few times and absolutely love them. But they make so much! Have you successfully froze them?
Hi Randi! So glad you are loving the recipe. Yes, beans freeze marvelously! Toss them in a ziplock and freeze for 3-6 months. Let thaw in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave or stovetop. Enjoy!
Made these today with the Easter ham bone – just tasted these and they are delicious. If I wanted these more refried style, how would I do that? I was thinking of taking some out and using my immersion blender on a portion of them. Have you ever?
Hi Kristin! I haven’t tried it out, it sounds delicious! Let me know how it goes!
Can I use chicken broth instead of chicken bouillon?
Hi Anna! The Better than Bouillon is added to bring in more flavor, not liquid. I don’t recommend adding broth!
Thank you for this recipe! This is so good. My husband loves pinto beans, loves Mexican food, and loves his food spicy. I just made this today and he can’t get enough of it. I followed the recipe to the tee, except I used to smoked turkey wings. I also glanced at some of your other recipes as well so I will definitely be back! Now that you’ve introduced Tejano food to us, I’ll be looking out for more of those type of recipes as well. Thanks again, with love from Atlanta, Georgia!
Love the idea of using turkey wings Crystal! I bet it was so good. Glad it was a hit! Tejano food forever. Thanks so much for reviewing!
This looks so good! But, I don’t eat ham. Is there anything that I could substitute it with in this recipe.
Hi Fati! Look through the comments, some people have discussed this. I think they used liquid smoke to help bring in the smokey flavor. Tell me how it goes!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaand I am drooling. I have a two person household so this makes A LOT – are they good to freeze?
Absolutely Karen! Beans freeze well and will keep for months. Enjoy!
I just found your blog today from a mention on Facebook (y’know, when they “recommend” things to you). I clicked to see what it was like (plus I really was intrigued by the name), and found this recipe that is going onto my menu plan as soon as I can work it in. I am super excited to try it! My attempts at crock-pot pintos always tend to be “meh” and flavorless, so I am super jazzed to try this one! (You had me at lime!)
I’m so glad you found me Susan! You will have to let me know how the beans turn out. And yes, don’t be shy with the lime, or the cheese! Yum.
Looks delicious and Weight Watcher friendly!! Excited to make these. Do you have instructions for making these in the Instant Pot??
Hi Kimberly! I do not have IP instructions, but I bet if you found another pinto bean IP recipe and adapted the liquid levels with these ingredients you could work it out. Good luck!
I have these beans on the stove right now. I’m doing the “quick soak”. At first, I was a bit dismayed that the recipe makes so much (there’s only the two of us) but now I’m thinking it will be great because I really want to make the Tejano Guisada some other time and now I’ll have the (frozen) beans to go along with it. Perfect!! I grew up on (Navy) beans and a pot of beans is still what we consider a good hearty meal. I’m just going to do a simple salad and some cornbread with these today. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews (minus one) and especially for posting this recipe!!
I’m so glad you’re making the Guisada to go with it Cherie! Hopefully this pot of beans will last for several meals for the two of you. Cornbread and salad sounds perfect with it too. Enjoy the beans! Thanks so much for commenting!
Do you soak the beans over night if your doing the regular crock pot recipe??
Hi Keli! I don’t but you are totally welcome to!
Hi. Just came across your site. Love it. I’m from Houston, TX. I was reading your way of making these beans. Basic Mexican ingredients, but down here we add about 1 teaspoon of comino (cumin) while its cooking and chopped cilantro.
Who could say no to cumin and cilantro Laura?? Sounds delicious! I will try it next time! Thanks!
I have made this about 12 times and it is so yummy!! I have served it to company and they love it too. I made it for my friend when she had her baby and now her family makes it all the time as well. I either serve it with tortillas cheese and sour cream or I serve it with cornbread. I make the Jiffy box cornbread which I know is cheating and then instead of using milk I add cream style corn. It is freaking amazing with these beans.
Ooh I love the idea of serving this with cornbread Bridgette! I haven’t tried that! It sounds delish. So happy you’ve enjoyed the recipe so many times, and thank you for sharing and commenting!
Love these so much and they are Weight Watchers friendly!
Good to know Jeanette!! Thanks for the info and the review!
My husband has been asking me to try and make authentic beans from Mexico for a long time now. I have made attempts a few times, but have never been successful (have been married 30 years). So for his 52nd birthday, when he asked for Mexican tacos, I decided to make a serious effort to make these beans to go with. I searched a lot of recipes! Having tried many failed recipes from magazines and online over the years, I kinda know what I need to see…tried and true….lots of experience and explanations. I don’t want a recipe someone is posting just to put a magazine or a website together. Your recipe seemed to be the most trustworthy….AND it turned out AMAZING!!!! My husband was so happy!!! He said I nailed it with this recipe, and my mother in law asked if she could have it!
Thank you, thank you, for sharing this!!! I want to add that I did soak the beans over night ( dumped the water), and made sure I bought fresh beans from the local Hispanic market. Wanted to go the extra mile to make sure I did everything I could.
Katie, you are the nicest wife ever! I bet your husband was so happy. I’m so glad they turned out and that you have a recipe to turn to every time you guys are craving great Mexican food! Thank you so much for commenting, it is so nice to hear from you. And happy birthday to your husband!
What about using salt pork in lieu of ham bone?
Hi Andre! I haven’t tried it so can’t be sure. Let me know how it goes!
i’ve used liquid smoke before and it is delicious.
I can humbly attest, after living in the San Antonio area for 34 years, this is an excellent recipe, very authentic. I’ve probably already posted a comment but heck let’s do another one! I have the pintos in the crockpot as we “speak”!!
Yess! So happy to hear from another true Texan Melissa! Thanks for chiming in! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Yes, this bean recipe is a must to do, I enjoy these beans I grew up eating them my mother was born in Corpus Christy, and with some of the homemade flour tortillas it just not get any better, I try to copy my mom’s cooking but with no success even with all my culinary training and experience no way can never put the love in my beans as my mom did, you have come close here. Thanks for the recipe and the Memories.
Isn’t it funny how the memory of food from a loved one can be so powerful?? Nothing beats mama’s cooking! Especially when there are homemade tortillas involved :) So glad you enjoy the beans Ernest, thank you for commenting!
These are my all time fav beans and I’ve been making them for years in my slow cooker. Well, my slow cooker broke and I have chosen not to replace it. I know these can be made stove top but was wondering if you’ve had a chance to try them in an instant pot? I just did and the beans were fine but the gravy was just water. No gravy = major disappointment! Wondering if you had any tips to make it work? Also, I do soak my beans over night.
Hi Paula! I haven’t experimented with it. My recommendation would be to find another pinto bean instant pot recipe and use the times/tips suggested. I’m glad you like the recipe!! Thanks so much for commenting, great question!
Gosh, these were good! I made them with the carne guisada and my husband said he would have been just as happy with just the beans! I’m so happy to have a stash in the freezer. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely delicious! Best pot of beans ever.
So happy to hear that Laura! Thanks for leaving a review!
This is the best recipe ever!They are just delicious and I’m so happy I have leftovers. I used the whole jalapeno and as you said it does not come out too spicy. I cannot say how happy I am with this recipe and my husband raved. I used organic dried beans and a ham hock. Thank you for this!
Thank you Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! This is a huge family favorite, I’m glad you love it now too :)
This is by far my FAVORITE bean recipe. I’ve used it so many times and it’s a favorite everytime. THANKS for sharing it.
You’re welcome Aimee, I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipe! It’s my favorite bean recipe too!
These were delicious, maybe my best-ever beans. I added 3 t salt by accident. I think 2 t would’ve been enough, but maybe the salt is what makes them good. ? I soaked my beans overnight and reduced the amount of water. No tummy troubles.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the beans Kaye! Thanks for leaving a comment! I’m a salt lover myself, so I probably would enjoy it with 3 teaspoons too :) Salt amounts are very subjective!
You MADE me want pinto beans and carne guisada today, lol! I made the pinto beans, and my honey is bringing back a chuck roast so I can make the carne guisada. Pintos turned out great. I omitted the sugar and used bacon because I had it on hand. delicious. Thank you.
Okay Karen AKA The Food Charlatan I looked up Charlatan and did a hard LOL almost on the floor. You are not a Charlatan. I have dozens of emails on cooking and or recipes, and I do look forward to yours.
Okay, I took your suggestion on this over the split pea soup, Next Time on that. This was awesome as I expected it to be. I had a lot of ham left over and added it to the soup.. maybe stew. I made it in the instant pot and it was gosh darn good I ate on it forever and 2 days I kept adding to it from corn. pasta more ham. This was great, Thanks.
Haha! I still feel like a charlatan after all these years though!! I’m so glad you liked the beans. They are a family favorite!
So nice to find other church members blogging. This recipe looks very good. Also will try the Grands maple bars. Keep on blogging!
I found this recipe when I googled “slow cooker mexican beans” and decided to give it a try. I have not stopped making it since then. They are the best tasting beans my family and I have ever had! They freeze great too.
That is awesome Leigh! It’s the best when you find a recipe the whole family loves! Thanks for commenting :)
Hi, quick question. Does this freeze well? I want to make it but we’re only 2 people and a toddler so this is WAYYY to much.
hi Sara! Yes, it freezes beautifully! I do it all the time. Enjoy!
Awesome!! Thank you so much :)
There’s no way you can mess up cooking soup beans
Ahhh, I just added salt before cooking them… your recipe says to wait till the last hr ,, are they ruined?????
I’m sorry I didn’t get to this comment in time Eve! How did they turn out? Salting early will not ruin them, but it can make them cook slower. Did you notice?
I’ve made this recipe since I first saw it last year, and we love it! Take it to church supper once and now have to triple the recipe! My only question (?) is more of a statement, I cook these beans in the crockpot for about 26 hours on high until they boil then on low until they are so creamy and luscious. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe.
Hooray, success! I’m so glad the beans are a hit Jackie. That’s awesome that you have to triple the recipe, that’s a lot of beans and a lot of happy folks at church supper! :) Thank you for the slow cooker tip!!
Came out a bland and watery mess! Yuck! What a waste of time! Why do people post crap like this claiming “it’s the best thing evah! I could eat it morning and night!”
Hey Irritated! I think this might be the first negative review on this recipe which hundreds of people have made. I’ve personally made it dozens of times. Is there anything you think might have gone wrong? If the beans were watery, they must not have been cooked all the way. Did you use the slow cooker or stove top method? It’s so frustrating when a recipe doesn’t work out, I’m sorry you had a waste of ingredients!
…because other people like different foods than you do? Just a thought. Or maybe because when other people taste a dish they’ve cooked and find it not to their liking, they know how to compensate, season things differently, or make another change that fixes the dish?
Haven’t made them yet, just found your blog & printed out this yummy sounding & lookin’ recipe. can’t wait L (
You are going to love these beans Lorna! They are so good. Thanks for the comment! So good to hear from you!
Hello,
I’m going to make the beans but would like to soak them overnight, as you suggest to avoid stomach gurgles. Should I then use the quick slow cooker method or the regular slow cooker method?
Thanks!
Hey Lano! Great question. Here’s what I would do: soak the beans. Discard the water. Follow the regular slow cooker method and cook on low–but only cook them for about 4-5 hours (instead of 6). How long they take will also depend on how old your beans are. The fresher the bean, the faster they will cook. Hope it works out! Let me know how it goes!
Well I made them – super pleased! I soaked them overnight first, and cooking time in the slow cooker ended up being about 5 hours.
Also, to make it vegetarian, I included two chipotle peppers and a little bit of the adobo sauce they came in (can) instead of ham hock. I think the did a good job making up for the missing meat flavor.
Thanks again!
Can this be made without any pork ingredients? I have some Muslim family who do not eat pork.
Hey Vanessa! I’ve never tried that and unfortunately I think you would lose out on a lot of flavor. Let me know if you try it!
i use liquid smoke instead of pork and it turns out great.
Try making it with a smoked turkey leg instead.
Thank you for this recipe. It was the best-tasting pinto beans I have made! I did not have a ham hock but put in a couple tablespoons of bacon fat. It was delicious!
Ooh yum! Bacon fat is ALWAYS a good idea ;) Thanks for coming back to leave a review Sophia! Means so much to us bloggers!
I have made pinto beans similar to this method for years, but this time I added the sugar to my beans (although I used brown sugar) and I tried the trick putting a whole Jalapeño with the slits cut into the sides, wow nice subtle kick from the pepper not too overpowering. Thanks for sharing you post definitely helped me take my beans to another level.
Ooh brown sugar, I should try that next time! Genius! I’m glad you liked the jalapeno idea. Yum! Thanks for commenting Greg!
I thought my family was the only ones to call bean liquid bean gravy. I like the bean gravy to be thick not runny just like your pictures. I have used salt pork in my beans if I didn’t have a ham bone. Thanks for your recipe.
Ha! Bean gravy is the best! Good idea using salt pork. Thanks for the comment!
Hi, I want to use a pressure cooker to make both the beans and the meat recipe. How much water would I use?
Hey Maria! I’m not sure, I’ve never tried it! I’m only just starting to get into pressure cooking. I would follow the instructions in your manual for beans, if there is a recipe in there. Good luck!
I have this pot of beans on the stove as I type this. Just one question do you chop up the same jalapeño and incorporate it into the beans when done or do you use a fresh jalapeño? It looks pretty green in the pic but maybe just for show? TIA! :-)
Hey Mary! The jalapeno in the photo is a garnish. It’s in addition to the whole jalapeno called for in the recipe. Great question! I hope you love the recipe!!
I finally have a bean dish I really like. I’ve been trying to find a bean dish I like but it’s been mostly a miss. This really does the trick; thanks for sharing it!!
So happy to hear that Lisa! It’s so great when you finally find a recipe that works. Thanks for coming back to comment!
Very excellent recipe. We love a pot of beans around here in their various forms: cowboy, charro, barracho, etc but I struck by the plain-ness of this recipe.
And I must say it’s the best. Guess what is the star? The beans for a change! With the ham hock and a cup of pork broth from the freezer, these were the best-seasoned beans I ever had. Basically kept your “light on seasonings” philosophy because I wanted to try something different.
Simply fantastic. Did the beans in the crockpot as well–you instructions were great. Thanks a lot.
I’m so glad you liked the recipe Brent! You’re right, this is a very pinto bean-bean recipe! The flavor shines. Thanks for your well thought out comment and review of the recipe!
Tried it yesterday and was great! Plus, lots of leftovers for the week, bonus!
Leftovers are the BEST, right?? I’m so glad you liked them Melissa! Thanks for the feedback!
I am cooking these beans as I write – they’re about half way done. My question concerns the salt. Is there a reason you don’t put it in at the beginning, instead waiting until an hour and a half before the beans are done?
I made them according to your recipe with just one change. I don’t eat pork so I used 1/2 pound of uncured chicken bacon. I haven’t tasted the beans yet but the house smells great! I just love beans!
Hey Cathy! I like the chicken bacon idea! I bet that would add great flavor. About the salt: beans are a a little funny about salt. If you add it too early, it slows down your cook time because salt hardens the outer edge of each bean and makes it harder to absorb the water that it needs to soften. Add it too late, and the salt won’t be absorbed at all into the center of the bean, meaning the flavor won’t be as deep. Does that make sense?? I’m not sure I’m even explaining this right, but that’s the general idea from what I understand. I hope they turn out well Cathy! Thanks for the comment!
I just finished my first bowl. Heavenly! This is a fantastic recipe! And, that makes perfect sense about the salt. That’s probably why it takes my beans 4 to 4 1/2 hours to cook thoroughly.
I had the same issue as some others did with the bean gravy. Of course, I totally forgot to vent the pot. I may try a one cup less water next time. What I did this time was to take a couple of heaping ladelsfull and puree them in a little mini-food processor I have, then stirred them back in. That made it thicker.
All in all, this was a tasty, nutritious, economical and very quick meal to prepare. Thanks!
1
I made this vegetarian style for dinner tonight! I agree it would lack flavor without adding something to make up for the ham bone and sugar. I used veggie broth instead of water, cumin and extra garlic cloves and it is SO good!! I cooked it in the crock pot for 7 hours on low and simmered on the stove for 30 minutes to make it have some gravy to it! Put it in a bowl, topped with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro…oh my gosh!!! Definitely a keeper! I can’t wait to put it in a tortilla tomorrow! Thanks so much for sharing! <3 For those scared of the jalapeño, just one really only adds flavor. I'm adding two next time! :)
That is good to know there is a vegetarian version out there Sadie! I’m so glad you liked it. Thanks for sharing your tips!
these are on my stove right now, and i am trying to keep my fork out of them until dinner but so far it has not worked, lol.
i halved the beans & water for the two of us, but i used the full amount of all the other ingredients to ensure they were really flavorful. i also added 2 teaspoons of chili powder and 1 teaspoon of paprika as i’m going to whiz a portion of this up with my immersion blender and cook it down in some fat for bean dip :)
i did have to add more water part way through because they needed a bit more time (partially because they weren’t quite done but partially because i wanted thicker beans and wasn’t ready for them to be done yet, heh). i let them go for 4ish hours total. i used a ham hock for the pork factor – the grocery store here sells them and i got a pack of 3 or 4 for less than two bucks and just froze the rest for next time. (there will totally be a next time!)
Yeah, these beans seriously hard to leave alone, I hear you. And this would make the BEST BEAN DIP EVER! omg. I do the same thing, buy a few ham hocks and save for the next time I make them :) Thanks Stephanie!!
You start with dry, rinsed beans, but recommend soaking them if you’ve had stomach issues. Do you just start from that part of the recipe with the soaked beans instead of the dry beans?
That’s right Stephanie! Discard the soaking water. What cooking method do you plan to use?
I ended up doing the quick soak and then cooking them on the stovetop. I ate them in a bowl with shredded cheese, sour cream and some cilantro on top. I had a flour tortilla on the side and I just tore it up and kind of dipped it in as I ate them. They were fantastic! Thanks for the recipe. I will be making them again!
These beans look delicious! What do you mean exactly by a very large crockpot? I believe mine is 6 quarts…is that big enough? Thanks!
Hi Lacie! Yes, my crock pot is 6 quarts and it fits. I will change the recipe to say that. Thanks! Enjoy!
I plan on making the beans soon. Please give me some more info on the chicken bouillon. do I use a teaspoon of granules or a teaspoon of the liquid?
Thanks, Lance
Hey Lance! Don’t use a teaspoon of chicken broth, if that’s what you mean. A teaspoon of the granules will do, or I much prefer the brand “Better Than Bouillon.” It’s more of a paste. Hope you enjoy!
2 cloves of garlic are nowhere near the equivalent of 1 tablespoon of garlic powder! So, for this huge pot of beans, did you really mean 12 cloves of garlic?
Hey Jenna! I always use two cloves of fresh garlic. I think the amount of garlic you use is totally to taste! Add as much or as little as you like.
I’ve always used the ratio 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder = 1 clove of fresh garlic. So, in this recipe, you’d use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to substitute for 2 cloves of garlic. The recipe card calls for 2 garlic cloves or 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, which I’m thinking is where Jenna’s question comes in. {grin}
I just wanted to say I love your blog! So many great recipes, my printer is humming away.
Thank Ann! I’m so glad you are enjoying it! Let me know which ones you like. :)
Great Recipe. I made the beans and they are delicious. One question, is the photo of beans you made? Mine were a bit more soup than gravy.
Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks Jim, glad you like them. Yes, this is a photo of the exact beans I make. If yours are soupy just turn the heat up a bit and leave the lid off to cook off some of that liquid, and they will be gravy like in no time. Thanks for commenting!!
Made the beans…they were the best beans I ever had….easy recipe had everything on hand….
Do you use an uncooked ham hock for this?
Hey Laura! I use smoked ham for this recipe. So it is cooked.
Made these beans today and they were wonderful! I cooked them too long so they started to look more like refried beans, so don’t make my mistake. I tasted around the 2 hour mark and they were tremendous! I will definately be making these again. :)
Even overcooked, they still are awesome right? I’ve done this too :) My husband and I just had these beans in some quesadillas last night as a midnight snack. I’m a little obsessed! Thanks for coming back to comment Angie!
I did 8 hours in the crock pot and they came out super watery. Do I need to let them cook more so the beans break down more?
Bummer Tiffany! I would transfer them to a pot, bring them to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until they are the consistency you like. I’m not sure that leaving them in the crock longer would make them less watery, because with a lid on there is no way for steam to escape. Next time add a cup or two less water I guess. I hope they still taste good!
I had the same problem. I didn’t get bean gravy, just water :( I’m going to put them on the stove now and I’m hoping I will get a more gravy texture going!
Stephanie, make sure you are cooking with the lid off. Eventually the liquid will start to cook off. Enjoy!
They turned out good after I put them on the stove. I slowly added the water from the crockpot to the stove. I had a lot left over so I’m glad I finished cooking them on the stove. Thanks! They were yummy by the way. :)
Glad you liked them Stephanie! Thanks for the review!
I am going to make these beans using my King City Pinks (my favorite bean) and instead of a ham bone I now use the smoked turkey legs. The turkey legs taste just like the ham even is pink in color and no fat. Seriously if you have not tried the smoked turkey legs instead of ham try it, I’m a convert. Thank you for posting will get all ingredients and make this weekend. Shirl
That’s a great idea Shirl! I never would have thought to use turkey legs. Enjoy!
these sound great! do you think you could leave out the ham bone to make them vegetarian? I know it will change the flavor, but do you think it would work?
Hi Kacey! Yes, the beans will definitely cook, but you will be missing quite a lot of flavor. I don’t cook vegetarian very often, so I’m not sure what flavor you could replace it with, but let me know if you find something!
Hi there!
I’m sorry if I missed this somewhere, but do the beans need to soak before being cooked using the slow cooker method?
Hey Kendra, nope, no soaking required! Be sure to rinse them well. Enjoy!
Thanks for the recipe. I’m making this for dinner except using smoked brisket. I am from and live in Texas and of course a couple of jalapenos just are not enough.
Amen Joseph! Bring on the heat :) So glad to hear you’re making it. Enjoy!
Now I’m extra jealous of your big family get togethers. Can you bring a little tupperware with my name on it next time? Bring me all the beans!!!
Forget the tortilla! I’m just going to grab a spoon! I love this easy side dish! Perfect for taco night :-) Your daughter sounds adorable!
Thanks Lindsey! I’m with you…no tortillas necessary :)
Yum! We do a bunch of Tex-Mex-y food nights at my house and you can never go wrong with another recipe for beans :)
I totally agree Medha! Never enough beans :)
What a great picture of you and Charlotte. I would have probably laughed too. I also still laugh when people fall down. Yeah, I’m a total grown up! These beans look excellent!
Kindred spirits Liz! Someday we should get together and string fishing line across a hallway so that we can watch people trip. So mature. :)
As much as I love to travel, I still haven’t been to Texas! These beans may just be the closest I’ll get until we finally plan a family vacation there :) These sound so scrumptious – the perfect comfort food!
Thanks Kimberly! I’ve only been to Texas to visit my sister and we’re always too busy chatting to get much sight seeing done anyway. But there is ALWAYS good food :)
if you used a pressure cooker to make the beans tender it will be a whole lot faster it will only take about 45 minutes in the pressure cooker! this recipe sounds delicious. I make Cuban style beans all the time with the pressure cooker!
Great tip Dania! I have a seriously underused pressure cooker, I need to get on my game! I would love to go from zero to beans in 45 minutes :) I will try it out!
Hi! Did you ever try it out with the pressure cooker? I have one but haven’t used it in sooooooo long!
Hey Meghan! I’ve never tried this out in the pressure cooker but I’m positive it would work out fine. Just look up some recipes for pinto beans and use their times. Let me know how it works out!
Karen, I LOVE Muir Woods!!! I used to live in San Francisco back in 1999. . so have been there a few times. It’s beautiful . . Charlotte sounds like a trooper. . I have a 4 year old as well. . and I think Madeline would have done the same thing, burst into tears if water accidentally squirted her in the face. . more for the laughter and shock of it all. . :P love these beans!!! yummm . . gimme this with a side of rice or tortilla chips and I would be a happy camper! Happy weekend!
I’m making these as soon as I get home Karen! Tell Laura thanks for sharing!
I will tell her! You are going to love them Kris! I can already hear you going on about them :)
I’ve been looking for more slow cooker recipes! I can’t wait to make this, it sounds awesome! Pinned!
Thanks Lindsay! Aren’t we all on a quest for more slow cooker recipes? :) :)
These sound great! Does the whole pepper make these beans very spicy? Should I remove the seeds and ribs to keep them mild? Thanks for sharing.
Hey Mary! This makes a HUGE pot of beans, so in my opinion, 1 jalapeno does not make these beans very spicy, even left whole with the ribs and seeds. It just lends great flavor with enough spice to keep it interesting. 2 would definitely make it spicy. If you are quite sensitive to heat, better safe than sorry. You could split 1 jalapeno in half and remove some of the seeds, then throw it in. Hope you like it Mary!
Thank you so much for the helpful and needed information! Can’t wait to make this recipe.
YUM!!! “bean gravy”, haha I love it! And I agree with you, how could you not laugh at someone getting squirt with water?
Okay I’m glad I’m not alone here Julia!! It was totally funny!! And by the way congratulations on the engagement!! :)
Thanks Karen!
Mexican food ALL THINGS! These beans look seriously so good and I love all the different cooking options to make them! Knowing the lazy chef that I am, I would undoubtedly choose the slow-SLOW cooking option. ;)
These beans sound right up my alley! I have only tried to make homemade beans once and it was a complete fail but these are convincing me I need to try again!
You so do need to try it again Meg! These are so easy :)