Description
Santa Maria Pinquito Beans is a classic hearty bean dish featuring tender pinquito beans simmered with a ham hock, smoky bacon, and a flavorful Anaheim chile and tomato sauce. This comforting recipe is perfect as a side or main dish, especially when paired with grilled tri-tip, showcasing rich Southwestern flavors in a slow-cooked, saucy bean preparation.
Ingredients
Scale
Beans and Broth
- 1 pound pinquito beans (dry)
- 1 ham hock
- 10 cups water (for cooking beans)
Sauce and Garnishes
- 1 pound bacon (chopped)
- 2 Anaheim chiles
- 1 large white onion (chopped)
- 4-5 cloves garlic (smashed and minced)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ to 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water (for sauce)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Sour cream (to garnish)
- Chopped white onion (to garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the beans: Rinse and sort the pinquito beans, removing any stones or debris. In a large stock pot, combine the beans with the ham hock and about 10 cups of water, ensuring the beans are covered by a couple of inches of water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer (medium-low) maintaining gentle bubbles. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, topping off with hot water as needed to keep beans submerged. The beans should be tender yet firm and not chalky when done.
- Roast the Anaheim chiles: Place the chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil under high heat about 7-10 minutes, turning every minute to blacken all sides evenly. Once fully charred, immediately seal the chiles in a ziplock bag or under a bowl to steam for 20 minutes. After steaming, peel off the skin, discard stems, seeds, and membranes, then chop the roasted chile flesh into half-inch pieces and set aside.
- Cook the bacon: Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces. In a 12-inch high-sided skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Drain excess grease, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the skillet.
- Sauté onion, chiles, and garlic: Add the chopped white onion to the skillet with the bacon. Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then add the roasted Anaheim chiles and minced garlic, continuing to sauté.
- Add spices: Stir in kosher salt, ancho chile powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and paprika. Sauté for an additional 2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant and the spices are toasted.
- Make the sauce: Pour in the tomato sauce, 1 cup water, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer (medium-low) and cook for about 30 minutes until slightly thickened. If beans require more cooking time, turn off heat on the sauce to conserve it.
- Prepare ham hock meat: When beans are tender, drain them but reserve the cooking liquid (bean juice). Remove the ham hock from the beans, chop any remaining meat, and add it into the sauce.
- Combine beans and sauce: Add the cooked beans into the sauce pot. Return heat to medium and gradually stir in the reserved bean cooking liquid until the beans achieve the desired consistency, being careful not to dilute the flavors.
- Simmer and serve: Let the beans simmer together with the sauce for a few minutes to meld flavors. Serve garnished with sour cream and chopped white onion. These beans pair beautifully with juicy grilled tri-tip for an authentic Santa Maria feast.
Notes
- Keep a close eye while broiling chiles to prevent burning or fires.
- Reserve excess bacon grease for other recipes like pancakes for added flavor.
- Adjust the ancho chile powder quantity depending on your heat preference.
- Bean cooking times may vary; ensure beans are tender but hold their shape.
- Don’t discard the bean cooking liquid; it adds vital flavor and desired consistency to the finished dish.
- This recipe pairs perfectly with grilled tri-tip for an iconic Santa Maria-style meal.
