This is a recipe for the best black beans we’ve ever had. It began several years ago when I had some boiled corned beef broth leftover that I thought might be good with beans cooked in it. It was very good. But it could be even better. So I began to tinker, and I think we have it down pretty well. Yes, they are magically delicious.

3 C dried black beans
8 C water (I actually don’t measure this)
2 tsp coriander (I prefer whole; Rose prefers ground. Both are good.)
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp mustard seed
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp hot pepper flakes (I use chilpotle)
1/4 large onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp salt
~3 Tbsp chopped smoked bacon (vegetarians use 1/4 tsp liquid smoke)

Fresh dried beans are better if you can get them. We have a source now that I don’t need to pick for rocks, too. I prefer to soak the beans for a half a day before cooking. I put them in a large pot, rinse them by swirling and dumping the water with the lid mostly on to hold the beans in (fast and simple). Then I add about as much water as they will need for the whole process, put the lid on, and set it aside to soak. We like the broth, so our beans always have some when they’re done. Before cooking, having the water an inch or inch and a half above the soaked and expanded beans is about the right amount.

It takes soaked beans about 1.25 hours to cook. I set the pot on the stove, turn the burner on high to get it started, then chop and measure the other ingredients into it while it warms up. When it’s all in, I give it a big stir and when it starts to boil I turn it down to a slow, gentle boil, put the lid on, and forget about it until it’s about done. Then I stir, test a spoonful for doneness, and serve. Very easy, and very good. Side note on bacon: We’ve tried about every kind we can get, and what we prefer is a thick-cut Canadian or European-style cut that has little fat. You’d think with so little bacon in this recipe that it wouldn’t make much difference, but it seems to.

The mouth feel and pepper glow and flavor combined are what makes these magic beans. Enjoy!

P.S. You want to either eat this or freeze it within about 7 days in the fridge. We freeze up smallish batches. If you leave it in the fridge too long, it turns in a sudden rush and gets nasty.

So, not this:

Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold,
Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old…