Chuck Wagon Beans
Slow-simmered pinto beans with bacon, onion, and a touch of molasses, cooked the way trail cooks fed cattle drovers on the range.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 180 min
- Total
- 195 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Equipment
- •Dutch oven
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- fat
- 9
- carbs
- 42
- protein
- 16
- calories
- 310
Instructions
- 1
Soak the pinto beans in cold water overnight. Drain the water.
- 2
Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside.
- 3
Saute the onion and garlic in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the drained beans, water or broth, and cooked bacon back into the pot.
- 5
Bring to a boil on the stovetop. Lower the heat and simmer partially covered for 2.5 to 3 hours.
- 6
Stir in the molasses, chili powder, and salt during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- 7
Keep simmering until the beans are tender and the liquid thickens slightly.
- 8
Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve hot.
Chef's tips
Keep the beans at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil so the skins do not burst. Add salt only after the beans soften, since early salting can make them tough.
Storage
Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days; freezes well for 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding water or broth if too thick.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the soak, which makes the beans take much longer to cook
- •Adding salt too early in the cooking process
Serving suggestions
Cooked Chuck Wagon Beans?
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