Southern Pinto Beans and Rice
Once you learn how to make Southern Pinto Beans and Rice, you’ll never go hungry! This guide provides two reliable soaking methods based on food science, as well as the correct ratios of beans, salt, liquid and baking soda. There’s even a quick glance reference chart that shows how much of each ingredient to add per pound of beans and recommended seasonings to ensure tender, creamy, perfectly seasoned pinto beans every time.
This is a one-dish menu item you’ll find in every restaurant and home south of the Mason-Dixon Line. It’s delicious as a healthy, filling entree or side dish and is usually served with a side of cornbread, sweet onion and a glass of sweet tea.
In Louisiana, they use red kidney beans most of the time, but plain ole’ pinto beans work equally as well!
Ingredients for pinto beans
First and foremost, I recommend you use bottled water for soaking and cooking. The pH balance of the water is important and if you’re like most of us, we don’t know all that about our tap water so, bottled or distilled water is best.
- Dried pinto beans
- Fat – bacon, ham hock, and smoked turkey legs are the most common
- Liquid – chicken broth or water
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Salt, pepper and paprika (optional)
Reference Chart for Soaking Pinto Beans
Use this chart as a guide for how much salt, liquid and baking soda you’ll need per pound of dried beans.
Yield
One pound of dried beans yields about 5-6 cups of cooked beans. So, if you’ve got a large group to feed, this Southern food is cheap!
Add the fat to the beans at the beginning of the cooking process. As they slowly cook, the added fat cooks, too, resulting in a nice flavored pot of pinto beans.
Soaking methods for Pinto beans
The key to the best bowl of pinto beans and rice is to make sure the beans are tender and flavorful. This is achieved by soaking the beans first in water. There are two ways you can do this. The Overnight or the Quick Method.
Whichever method you use, you need to clean them first. Place dried beans in a colander and rinse under cool water; remove any rocks (yes! sometimes, there are little rocks in the bag!)
Overnight Soak
Place dried beans in a large bowl; add bottled water to cover the top of the beans by about 2 inches; add 1 tablespoon of table salt per quart of water and add 1 teaspoon of baking soda per quart of water. Cover with plastic wrap; let them soak overnight on the counter. Do not refrigerate the soaking beans. If you don’t have time to soak overnight, you can do what is called a “quick soak.”
Quick Soak
Quick Soak: Bring the beans and protein to a hard boil for 15 minutes in bottled/distilled water; turn the heat off of the stove, cover and allow beans to sit in water for 1 hour. After they’ve have rested, drain off the soaking water, add beans and protein back to stockpot and cover with distilled water or broth. Note: no salt is added to the Quick Soak method when using a salty protein like pork; however if you do a quick soak with no salty protein, add 2 tablespoons of table salt to the stockpot.
How to cook pinto beans
- After cleaning and soaking, pour off any remaining soaking water, (do not rinse the beans), set them aside. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the protein of your choice and bottled/distilled water (or chicken broth, vegetable broth or beef broth) about 2 inches over the beans. Bring to boil for about 5 minutes; once boiling, reduce heat to low and add beans and seasonings.
- Cook on low heat, uncovered for 2-4 hours, or until tender. Once tender, taste for salt and pepper.
Recipe Tips
- Use distilled/bottled water for soaking and cooking
- Salt the soaking water and cooking water
- Drain off the soaking water when ready to cook; do not rinse the beans after soaking
- Add the salty protein (pork, ham hock, bacon) at the beginning of the cooking process
- Cook beans on very low heat, almost to a simmer. A slow and low cook ensures the beans won’t split.
- If cooked uncovered, check the liquid level occasionally and add more water or broth if needed.
- For best results, simmer covered; use a lid and set it ajar on the top of your stockpot
In the Lone Star State, we eat pinto beans and rice with everything from fried catfish, homemade cream style corn, Southern greens and more!
Storage
Use an airtight container to freeze cooked pinto beans for up to 3 months. Pinto and kidney beans will expand in the freezer, so before you put them in the freezer, pour off a little of the juice and store it separately. (Don’t wanna waste that good bean juice!) Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3-5 days. After 5 days, they get mushy.
When it’s time to re-heat, I recommend using the stovetop – not the microwave. You may have to add a little water or broth because the pinto beans tend to thicken upon refrigeration. You may have to adjust the seasonings a bit.
FAQ’s
According to food science writer Harold McGee, adding salt to the brine or soaking water strengthens the bean and helps them cook faster and more evenly. If not soaking the beans, McGee says it is best to add a little salt at the beginning of the cooking process because it allows the salt to penetrate the interior of the bean resulting in a softer bean.
Beans often split due to a lack of salt and/or baking soda in the soaking water. They often split due to high cooking heat.
Soak dried beans in plenty of water with the correct ratio of table salt and baking soda and, cook them on low or simmering heat.
Food scientists recommend adding 1 tablespoon table salt per quart of liquid and 1 teaspoon per quart of liquid.
According to Harold McGee, adding acidic ingredients will lengthen he cooking process and toughen the outer part of the bean, resulting in a tough bean. Acidic ingredients like vinegar, wine, lemon juice, tomatoes or pickled jalapenos are not recommended for soaking or cooking beans. Add acidic ingredients after the beans are tender and fully cooked.
If you make this recipe, please scroll down and leave a comment and rating! I love to hear from you!
Southern Pinto Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb. dried pinto beans
- 10 cups water or broth , most Southerner's use chicken or beef broth
- 2½ tablespoons table salt , for overnight soaking
- 2½ teaspoons baking soda , for overnight soaking
- 1 smoked ham hock, bacon renderings or smoked turkey leg
- 2 tablespoons onion powder or 1 cup fresh, diced onion
- 2 tablespoons garlic powder
- prepared rice , brown or white rice, cooked
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Soak the Beans – Overnight method (see post for Quick Soak Instructions)
- Rinse and drain beans; place them in a large bowl and add the following:1 lb. dried pinto beans, 2½ tablespoons table salt, 2½ teaspoons baking soda
- The next day, drain the beans; do not rinse them; set aside
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add liquid and the protein of your choice. On medium high heat, bring to boil for about 5 minutes. Once boiling,turn heat to low, add beans, onion powder and garlic powder; cook on low heat, partially covered for 1½ -2 hours or until tender; check liquid level frequently; add more if needed; when tender, taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly10 cups water or broth, 1 smoked ham hock, bacon renderings or smoked turkey leg, 2 tablespoons onion powder , 2 tablespoons garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
- Prepare rice according to package directions. Plate rice in a bowl and add beans and some of their juice.prepared rice
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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