Grandma Sonys Slow Cooker Black Beans Food

SIMPLEST SLOW COOKER BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Place the beans, onion half, bay leaf, garlic, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, pepper flakes (if using), and olive oil (if using) into a slow cooker. Cover with 8 cups of water. Cover pot. Cook on high heat for 6 to 8 hours or until the beans are done, but start checking at the 4-hour mark - all slow cookers are different and times might vary, too, depending on the age of your beans.
• Taste. Add more salt to taste. I add 2 more teaspoons, but start with 1 or a 1/2 teaspoon and adjust from there. Note: When you first taste a bean, do not expect to be wowed. The beans develop more flavor as they cool in their cooking liquid, which will continue to season them. As noted above, I find they taste even better on day 2.
• Store the beans in their cooking liquid. I love these deli quart containers for this purpose. I freeze the beans in their cooking liquid in these quart containers as well.

BEST BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine beans, onion, and garlic, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Season with cilantro, cayenne, and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.

SOUTHWEST BLACK BEAN CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken, black beans, chicken broth, tomatoes with green chile peppers, corn, onion, jalapeno peppers, garlic, chili powder, red pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker; cook on Low for 8 hours. Serve with about 1 tablespoon sour cream on each serving.

CROCK POT CARIBBEAN-STYLE BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Put all ingredients except for water in crock pot.
• Cook on LOW for about 4-6 hours. If mixture appears dried out, add a little bit of water or broth to desired consistency.
• Serve hot with rice.

SLOW-COOKER BLACK BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the beans, onion, garlic, chipotle chile and sauce, cumin, bay leaves and/or oregano, and baking soda, if using. Add 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until the beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours. Taste more than one bean to ensure they're all cooked through; they should also flatten without much effort when pressed between your fingers.
• Remove and compost the bay leaves. Transfer the onion, garlic and chipotle chile to a blender or food processor, along with about 2 cups of the beans and broth. (You can purée more or less of the soup, depending on desired consistency.) Blend until smooth. Pour puréed soup back into the slow cooker, stir in the vinegar, then season to taste with salt. Eat with desired toppings.

'ANYTHING GOES' EASY BLACK BEANS

Steps:

• Stir black beans, 1 cup chicken broth, tomato paste, and cumin together in a heavy pot over low heat; cook at a simmer until hot, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion, green bell pepper, and jalapeno pepper in hot oil until the vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes; add garlic and continue cooking just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the pot with the beans and stir.
• Stir sugar into the bean mixture, adding more chicken broth if you want more liquid in the final product; season with hot sauce and continue cooking at a simmer until the vegetables impart a savory flavor to the broth, 10 to 15 minutes.