How to make chili beans from scratch

If you are using dried beans:

• Soaking all night option:

For each pound of dried beans, first clean and rinse beans well under running water in a colander large enough to contain the full amount of beans you are preparing. You want to be sure there is no soil or other trash left over from the farm and processing. Move the beans around, allowing the water to throughly rinse the beans.

Allow the beans to sit overnight, or at least eight hours to absorb the water and rehydrate the beans.

• Soaking for one hour in boiled water option:

After cleaning and rinsing the beans as described above:

Use a saucepan that is large enough to hold all the beans you will be using, as well as at least 6 to 8 cups of water per pound of beans.

Add beans and water to saucepan. (do not add salt or seasoning to this mix).

Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the flame just enough to allow the beans to continue to boil, but so much as to overflow the sauce pan.

Allow to boil for about 5 minutes.

Shut off fire, cover beans and allow to soak for at least one hour.

NOTE:

• After the beans have rehydrated, and before your cook the beans, be sure you drain the water that was used for soaking, whether they soaked overnight, or using the quick one hour soaking.
• While beans are soaking, you can begin preparation of the meats and seasonings.

You can either cook all of your meats together, or separately.

A wok is a good choice of pans for preparing these ingredients, especially if you don’t happen to have a skillet large enough.

Combined meat version:

Add your meats (or meat) to the pan, and cook on a medium fire, breaking it up, so it is in small pieces to that when your meal is served every spoonful with have not only beans, but also a healthy bite of meat.

Cook the meat so it is fully cooked, but not caramelized. Once you have cooked the meat, add your onions, garlic, and salt and pepper. You may need to add some cooking oil, to prevent ingredients sticking to the pan.

Now that you have your meats, onions, etcetera combined and cooked, add the uncooked, rehydrated beans to your cooking pot, or crock pot, along with the meats, and all the vegetables you are planning to add to the chili beans:

• Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, the salt, pepper, chili peppers, and any of the other ingredients that you may have opted to add.
• Depending on what kind of pork meat you add, you may have to adjust the salt later in the cooking process, as some sausages have more salt than others, and you don’t want to overdo the salt.
• Be sure you have enough tomato sauce, as you may have to add more as the chili beans cook.
• Add water sufficient to cover the entire mix and cover with a lid.
• Turn the crock pot on high, and go about your business. It may be a good time to do some shopping, or take in a movie.
• Allow at least four to six hours for the chili beans to cook. When you get back home, check the chili, and if necessary, as more water, and correct the salt to taste.
• It is a personal choice when it comes to how thick or thin you like your sauce in your chili beans, so monitor that, and adjust according to your liking.
• If you decide to allow the chili beans to cook overnight, leave it on the high or low setting. For some
• reason, if you leave it on the warm or medium setting, it seems to change the flavor of the chili beans.

NOTE:

If you do leave it cooking overnight, be sure you have added water sufficient to prevent burning or sticking to the crock pot. It actually will have a better developed taste if it does cook overnight.

Now, when you finally get to serve your homemade chili beans (with or without meat) be sure you have something great to accompany your chili beans.

If you didn’t add the whole kernel corn, you can either use it now, or opt for cornbread, (hopefully also made from scratch) along with a nice side dish of green beans, or a wonderfully simple salad.

Don’t forget to serve either fresh lemonade, or wonderful southern iced tea. If that’s not to your liking, how about either some ice cold soft drink, or even your favorite ice cold adult beverage. Beer maybe?

Note:

Now that you have attempted this adventure in hearth warming, why not experiment with this recipe so the next time you make it, you can customize it so that it becomes «your speciality» for many special cold weather dinners, and many big family gatherings. It should also be a welcome addition to the next block party in your neighborhood..