Easy Slow Cooker Pinto Beans

Dress them up with a slew of toppings or eat them plain in their broth; they’re luscious either way. This simple meal, packed with fiber and protein, is great for game day. Cornbread – crumble it on top if you like—is the perfect side. If you have a 10-quart slow cooker, you can double this recipe. Soak beans overnight or see Cook's Notes for directions for quick soak (1 hour) just before cooking.

makes 6 cups of beans

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
4 strips thick bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 large and plump cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1- pound (16 ounces) dry pinto beans, rinsed, sorted, and picked over—soaked overnight or see Cook's Notes below for Quick Soak Directions
4 cups (32-ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups (24-ounces) water—or more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
2-3 shakes of Tabasco or to taste
Garnishes as desired: salsa—fresh or jarred; diced white or red onion; diced avocado; tortilla chips; grated cheese; minced jalapeño; pickled onions or jalapeño; diced fresh tomatoes; lime wedges; cilantro

Instructions

COOK THE BACON AND THEN THE ONIONS: Drizzle the olive oil evenly into a large skillet and warm over medium-high heat for a minute. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring regularly, until cooked but not crispy. Remove bacon to a small bowl and discard about half of the bacon fat, being careful to afterward wipe the side of the skillet if you’ve poured it out. Add half of the diced onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes or until softened. You’ll use the other half of the onion in a few minutes.
TO A 6-QT SLOW COOKER, add the cooked bacon and cooked onions along with the remaining raw onions, garlic, soaked pinto beans, chicken broth, water, salt, pepper, and Tabasco. Stir well. Cover and cook on LOW heat for 8 hours or HIGH for 6 hours or until tender, checking after a few hours to see how the beans are cooking and if they need more liquid (add a cup of water, if too thick) as they need to be quite brothy to cook through. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove cover and let rest 15 minutes before serving hot as is with some of the liquid and/or with garnishes, as desired.
Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 6 months.

Notes

COOK’S NOTES: To quick soak beans, place the rinsed and picked-over beans in a large pot and add water to cover by 3 inches or so. Cover, bring to a boil over high heat and boil for two minutes. Remove from heat and let the beans rest, covered, for an hour. Drain before using.