Cuban Style Red Beans

Method14 steps · about 3 hr 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Sort through the beans and remove any misshaped or off-color beans and any foreign objects like small stones and twigs.

   Uses 12 ounces Dried Red Beans (we used small red beans)

2. 2

   Step 2: Rinse the sorted beans and choose one soaking route. Quick soak: put them in six cups water, bring to a boil and boil two minutes, then take off heat, cover and leave one hour. Alternatively cover with four cups cold water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse well after either route; both soaking waters are discarded before cooking.

   Soak beans using chosen routeUses Sorted dried small red beans · 6 cups water for quick-soak route; drain before cooking · 4 cups cold water for alternative overnight soak; drain before cooking · Additional cold water as needed to rinse beans; drain

3. 3

   Step 3: Heat the olive oil (2 tablespoons) in a 10 inch (preferably non-stick) skillet over medium heat. Add the onions (1 Medium) and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

   Soften onion for sofrito · 3 minUses 2 tablespoons Olive Oil · 1 Medium Onion (finely diced)

4. 4

   Step 4: Next, Add the garlic (3–4), tomato paste (2 tablespoon), salt (1 teaspoon), dried oregano (½ teaspoon), ground cumin (½ teaspoon), and black pepper (¼ teaspoon), stir to combine.

   Uses Onion softened in olive oil · 3–4 garlic cloves, minced · 2 tablespoon Tomato Paste · 1 teaspoon Salt (plus extra if needed at the end) · ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano · ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin · ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

5. 5

   Step 5: Cook the sofrito for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove the skillet from the heat.

   Cook sofrito before adding to bean pot · 2 minUses Onion-garlic-tomato-spice sofrito

6. 6

   Step 6: Add the beans, 10 cups of water, ham shanks, the prepared sofrito, and the chicken base (1½ tablespoons) to a large pot, stir well to combine.

   Uses Soaked drained rinsed small red beans · 10 cups fresh water for cooking soaked beans · 1–1 1/2 lb smoked sliced ham shanks, ham hocks or meaty ham bone · Prepared sofrito · 1½ tablespoons Chicken Base (like Better than Bouillon)

7. 7

   Step 7: Set the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Stir occasionally and keep it at a simmer, raise or lower the heat as needed.

   Simmer beans · 60 minUses Assembled beans, smoked ham, fresh water, sofrito and chicken base

8. 8

   Step 8: Uncover the pot and lift out the cooked smoked ham to a board or plate to cool enough to handle. Keep the beans and broth in the pot.

   Uses Bean and ham pot after one-hour simmer

9. 9

   Step 9: Cover the beans and continue cooking while you chop the ham.

   Uses Simmering beans with cooked ham reserved separately

10. 10

    Step 10: Once the reserved cooked ham is cool enough to handle, remove and discard bones and fatty pieces, chop the meat into bite-sized pieces and return it to the simmering beans.

    Uses Reserved cooked smoked ham · Beans continuing to simmer

11. 11

    Step 11: Continue cooking the beans (covered) for another 15-20 minutes. Try a couple of beans to determine how close to done they are. If the beans are still quite firm, cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Then, try them again.

    Continue simmering · 20 minUses Simmering beans with returned cooked ham

12. 12

    Step 12: Only when the beans are fully soft, uncover and simmer another thirty-five to fifty-five minutes, according to the liquid level and desired thickness. Stir more often as they thicken; they will thicken further on cooling.

    Thicken fully cooked beans uncovered · 55 minUses Fully soft small red beans and cooked ham

13. 13

    Step 13: Keep the same uncovered thickening phase at a gentle simmer, adjusting heat and stirring increasingly often so the base does not scorch. If desired, mash about one cup of the already cooked beans and return it to help thicken.

    Uses Cooked red beans simmering uncovered to desired thickness

14. 14

    Step 14: Taste and add the separate optional extra salt only if needed. Serve the finished beans; white rice or crusty bread are optional accompaniments.

    Uses Finished thick red-bean and smoked-ham potaje · Additional salt to taste after cooking, optional; amount unspecified