Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Howdy, Slow Cookerers!

I've got a slow cooker staple for you today. You can either use a bag of 16-bean mix they sell in the bean section at your friendly neighborhood grocery store, or you can use the odds and ends of bean packages you may have hanging out in your pantry.

(use beans within a year from buying them at a store. Old beans are terribly hard to soften nicely even when cooked for a hundred million years (technical timeline)).

Either way, you are looking for approximately 16 ounces of mixed beans for this recipe.

It is VERY customizeable -- if you don't like tomatoes, don't use them.

If you want to add a can of corn or some chopped celery and carrot, GO FOR IT!

16 Bean Soup
serves up to 10

1 bag of soup mix (if it comes with a flavor packet, throw it away. The ingredients are scary.)
1 onion, peeled and diced
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika)
1 (15-ounce) can of Italian-style tomatoes
6 to 8 cups water or broth
Kosher salt (add the salt at the last minute, a bit at a time, according to taste)

(OPTIONAL: if you'd like meat, you can use a leftover hamhock and 1 cup diced ham.

OR you can add a package of two of smoked sausage. I usually have the Aidell's brand in the house because they are gluten free. We like chicken and apple sausage and cajun-style -- I use a package of each just because it provides tons of flavor.)

It is up to you how much water or broth to use.  If you want more broth, use more water, if you want it thick and beany, use less. If you want to use broth and ooomph up the flavor, go for it.

The Directions.

For best results, put the beans into a large stock pot and fill with cold water. Bring this pot to a boil for ten minutes, and then remove it from the heat, cover, and let the beans sit and soften for 1 hour before plopping into the crockpot.

This is also important to do if your soup mix has any red beans in them. Red beans have a naturally-occurring potential toxin. It is rare, but boiling for 10 minutes will kill anything that might be lurking. 
After soaking, put all the stuff in the pot and cook on low all day. Soup tastes the best the longer you cook it, and it tastes even better the next day.

The Verdict.

This is healthy, filling and flavorful. It will make a ton and you can certainly freeze any leftovers. When thawing/reheating, add a bit of water or broth to thin it out again.

enjoy!!

Happy Slow Cooking!!