Smoky
Black Beans

Cook's notes

Black beans don't need soaking — unlike bigger beans they soften reliably from dry, which is why the Instant Pot version skips it entirely.

Old beans never soften. Chalky after three hours means they were stale when you bought them, and more time won't fix it.

Splitting a big hock. A two-pound hock is one bone-in piece you can't halve at home. Simmer the whole thing in enough water to cover it well, with a couple of bay leaves, until the meat gives — that leaves you smoky stock and pulled meat to divide between two pots, both of which freeze.

Canned beans with a long-simmered hock. Same trick as the red beans: simmer the hock, aromatics, and bay with about two-thirds of the water for the full time, pull and strip it, then add the beans for only fifteen to twenty minutes — black beans are more fragile and go to mush faster than kidney beans. Two adjustments particular to this pot. Rinse all but one can and tip that last one in with its liquid, or you lose the dark glossy body the dried version builds over hours. And hold back a third of the cumin, oregano, and coriander to stir in with the beans, since the rest will have gone flat over the long simmer. Reduce before the beans go in, never after.

Use the pot three ways: over rice tonight, mashed into the pan with a little of their own liquid for refried beans, or thinned with stock and blended for soup.

It thickens as it sits and tastes better the next day. Loosen leftovers with a splash of water when you reheat.

Other black bean pots: the blended Blackest-of-the-Black Black Bean Soup and the vegan Refried Black Beans, both meat-free.