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Sibby Barrett

Ranch Style Beans

Also called Ranchero Beans, this is one of my favorite way to dress up pinto beans. Because I love the smokiness that some chiles bring to the party, I think it is an essential ingredient here. Experiment with different kinds of chiles for different flavor profiles and try using more than one type.
I like to cut off the tops, and remove the seeds as they can be a bit bitter. Soaking them in boiling water for about 15-20 minutes helps to soften them for blending and you can also fry them in a bit of vegetable oil to bring out even more flavor. Here are some of the most common dried chiles you should be able to easily find.
Anchos bring a mild, earthy, slightly sweet and fruity touch. An Ancho is a poblano chile that has ripened and dried. Guajillos, mild, sweet and not too smoky. Chipotles, this one brings the smoke, as they are literally smoked jalapeños with mild heat. This next chile brings a nutty and very spicy nuance-- Chiles de Arbol.
Pasilla chiles are large, long and offer a mild to medium heat and fruitiness like a raisin or a prune. ("Pasa" means raisin). Cascabels are round and add a fruity apricot-apple vibe with mild heat.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 14
Course: Soup, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Chile Sauce
  • 2-3 dried chiles of choice, seeds removed and cut open see head notes
  • 4-6 whole garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 large white onion quartered with stem end intact
  • 1 cup vegetable or beef stock
  • 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Beans
  • 1 pound dried pinto beans washed and sorted
  • 1 white onion quartered
  • 2-3 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 4 cups vegetable or beef stock

Equipment

  • food processor or stick blender

Method
 

  1. Beans
  2. Place the sorted beans in a large pot and cover with about 14 cups of cold water. Add the onions and garlic and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 1 ½ -2 hours or until beans or tender when smashed. Add tablespoon of salt and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Chile Sauce
  1. While the beans are cooking, place a cast iron skillet over medium hight heat. Add onions, garlic and chiles. Cook, turning occasionally, until all ingredients are lightly charred. You can remove the vegetables from the pan as you go as some will char faster than others. Cut the chiles into small pieces. A pair of scissors works well for this. Place all of the charred vegetables into a food processor bowl and pulse to begin breaking them down. Add 1 cup of the broth a bit at a time and continue to pulse and blend until you have a smooth sauce. Add the tomatoes, brown sugar and spices.
Beans plus Chile Sauce
  1. Scoop beans out into another large pot, leaving most of the cooking liquid behind. You may use some of this to your finished beans to get the consistency you like. Add the chile sauce and the 4 cups of remaining broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10-15 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt if needed and add any bean broth that like to the final soup.