Cuban-Style Black Beans

Loves the Insant Pot, uses almost daily for husband and self. Studies Indian cuisine as a hobby. Fond of cooking ahead and freezing inspired by Deborah Taylor Hough's Once A Month cooking sites

I used to buy cans of Seasoned Black Beans and enjoy them by themselves. I decided to try to create a "seasoned" black bean recipe for the IP using dry beans. What I came up with exceeded my expectations and with dry beans is cheaper than those cans. I reengineered a Cuban-style black bean recipe from The American Bean Book.
To turn this into an interesting "main dish bowl" serve along side Cauliflower "rice" and top with cheese and tomato and garnish with cilantro.

1 ½ cups black beans, picked over and rinsed

4 slices bacon chopped fine

1 to 2 cloves garlic crushed

1 onion, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons mango chutney (good brand of Mango Ginger chutney available at Trader Joes)

¼ teaspoons chili powder

Salt to taste ( I added ½ teaspoon)

2 cups beef, veal or chicken stock (I used Beef Better Than Bouillon 2 cups boiling water and 2 teaspoons bouillon. I boiled the water and dissolved the bouillon in the skillet in which I had fried the bacon.)

Drain beans, cover with fresh water use Manual for 35 minutes with quick release. Beans should be tender, if not put back on for a few minutes after running the IP lid under cold water. When they are done, drain the beans and put them back in the IP.

While beans are cooking, in a skillet, fry the bacon until crisp and drain it on paper towels. (You could fry the bacon on saute function in the IP before cooking the beans.)

To the beans, add bacon, garlic, onion, chutney, and chili powder. Add salt to taste and pour in stock. Stir the mixture well and cook using manual function for 9 minutes, quick release.

Great alone or served over rice or polenta.

if your bacon is frozen (I freeze in 4 piece bundles) put 1 1/2 cups water in IP and put bacon in the steamer basket. Manual for 2 minutes. Use the "bacon water" as part of what you cover the beans with or as part of what you make broth with if using Better than Bouillon. Chop up bacon while beans cook then, remove beans to a bowl and fry up the bacon pieces on saute function. I soften the chopped onion by frying a little in the bacon grease before removing bacon to drain. if your bacon is frozen (I freeze in 4 piece bundles) put 1 ½ cups water in IP and put bacon in the steamer basket. Manual for 2 minutes. Use the "bacon water" as part of what you cover the beans with or as part of what you make broth with if using Better than Bouillon. Chop up bacon while beans cook then, remove beans to a bowl and fry up the bacon pieces on saute function. I soften the chopped onion by frying a little in the bacon grease before removing bacon to drain.

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