Pinto beans and rice

Sunday, I was in the mood for some made-from-scratch cajun style beans. After I mowed the back yards, the idea struck me, and I formulated a plan. I had some pork neck bones in the fridge, and I had plenty of dried pinto beans. Now, normally cajuns make red beans and rice, but I have pinto beans, so that’s what I’ll use.

This is an all day process, which involves the grill, but very little work. The beans have to soak, and the neck bones have to smoke. Then the beans have to simmer at least three hours. It was perfect for a warm lazy Sunday. I started smoking neck bones and soaking beans at 11:00. Here’s what I did. I made a hot version, but it is easy to moderate. If you want mild hot, leave out the arbol peppers. If you want no hot, use a bell pepper instead of jalapeños.

1-1/2 cups dried pinto beans

Water

1 tsp. salt

1 lb. pork neck bones

Cajun seasoning

Oregano

2 jalapeños

4 arbol peppers (or cayenne)

1 medium onion

Garlic powder

Onion powder 

Cumin

Adobo seasoning

4 stems of fresh thyme

Worcestershire sauce

Steamed rice

Preparation

Sort and rinse the beans, and place them in a pot. Add enough water to cover them by at least two inches. Add the salt and bring that to a boil. Let it boil one minute, and then turn off the heat. Let the beans soak for at least an hour and a half. 

While they are soaking, light a charcoal grill. Take the neck bones and season them generously with cajun seasoning and place them on a cast iron pan. Let those smoke in a covered grill over charcoal and if you have any, some maple branches, for two hours.

After the neck bones are at the peak of their smokey goodness, you are ready to prepare the beans. Rinse and drain the beans, and place them in a large sauce pan. Add the smoked neck bones. Coarsely chop the onion and jalapeños, and add them to the beans. Thinly slice the arbol (or cayenne) peppers and add them. Sprinkle on about a teaspoon of cumin and add a half teaspoon of oregano. Sprinkle on some garlic powder and onion powder, and then do the same with some cajun seasoning and adobo seasoning. Fill with water to cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a slow simmer, and cover. Add the fresh thyme.

Let that simmer, stirring often, for at least three hours. You may have to add a little more water as it simmers. After about two and a half hours, the beans should be breaking up, and the sauce thickening. Add about a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and stir. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper, and when the beans are good and thick, you’re ready to serve.

Serving

Set a mound of steamed rice in the center of a plate, and ladle the beans around the rice. Sprinkle with a spec of cajun seasoning, add some warmed tortillas, and you are good to go. Ice cold beer is what I recommend. for this.