Mexican/Tex Mex Food.

[Worth1]

I meant sticky the thread.

Worth

[patty_b]

Ok..I am sure someone can tell me how to season red beans and rice, but without the real hot stuff. I grew up with cornbread and beans that were cooked with ham bone. Just not sure how to do
The red and black beans.

[Tracydr]

That habanero gold goes fast for gifts. I make it with all habaneros but the cooking and sugar really tone down the heat.
You could also make a nice, fruity Jamaican or Trinidad sauce. One of my favorites was a Scotch Bonnet sauce from Trinidad that I purchased in Bonaire. I couldn't read the label so have no idea how to duplicate.
We like to ferment our peppers as a mash with some salt. Then, add some organic apple cider or red wine vinegar to taste. I think carrots and mangoes, maybe some pinapple would be good as a sauce with Habs.

[mensplace]

Originally Posted by patty_b

Ok..I am sure someone can tell me how to season red beans and rice, but without the real hot stuff. I grew up with cornbread and beans that were cooked with ham bone. Just not sure how to do
The red and black beans.

There is low country SC/Savannah red beans and rice and the New Orleans/Texas Version. The low country version is generally less hot and spicy. Then also comes the question of how you prefer the rice as in cooked separate and waiting for the side or top serving of beans, red rice, or cooked with the beans inside the rice. Some do as you mentioned and have plain pintos with smoked pork, while others go all out with
the trinity of celery, green pepper, onion and add parsley. Red beans and pintos are totally separate. IF you get dry beans be sure the package says small red beans. They are no more than 3/8ths inch long and not the much longer and rounder bean. Lately, we have just been buying a can of red beans that are not pre-seasoned. Saves a lot of time and work. The Cajun style starts with a roux and can include a lengthy list of possibilities in terms of additions like hot sauce, Worcestershire, ketchup, red wine, chili powder, garlic, thyme, oregano and more.
The low country style is far less complex both in preparation and ingredients. I like to taste the beans and have plenty of bean gravy for the rice, but I generally tone down the heat and spices for the sake of others and certainly don't have time for a roux. For us it's generally just a tad of butter for flavor, a bit of pork, cooked onions (just translucent, not caramelized)parsley and veggies per your choosing, and a short hit of the sauces referenced above. Black beans are a totally different approach depending if you want Cuban or South American. I really think that they are worth the time for the extra work and accompaniments such as plantain (sweet or plain), yucca, callaloo, yellow rice and either ropa vieja or chicharones.

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by mensplace

Have never been able to make a decent Boston style baked beans as the beans always remain hard and I always muddle up the spice and other flavorings.

Here is an easier way to make a Boston style baked beans. I'll break it down to a two servings size and can easily be doubled, tripled, etc.

1 15oz can of Van Camps Pork n Beans liquid drained
1 Tablespoon Heinz ketchup
1 Tablespoon French's mustard
2 pieces bacon fried, chopped, and add the bacon grease
1 small yellow or white onion chopped
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke or 1 TBS. Worcestershire
Onion and Garlic powder - a few shakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine/mix and can be cooked in the oven, microwave, out on the smoker or indirect grill. Cook until it's good and hot.

I've served this to people who don't like beans and they can't stop eating it.

[mensplace]

Now that is the kind of recipe I like of late...quick to make and doesn't require dozens of ingredients. Thank you so much!

[Worth1]

You guys are posting Boston baked bean recipes on the the Mexican food thread?
you better ad chili powder or peppers or something.
Blasphemy.
Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Originally Posted by Worth1

You guys are posting Boston baked bean recipes on the the Mexican food thread?
you better ad chili powder or peppers or something.
Blasphemy.
Worth

Worth, any recipe can be TexMex if you eat it with Jalapenos and chase it with a Lonestar beer.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Worth, any recipe can be TexMex if you eat it with Jalapenos and chase it with a Lonestar beer.

Lone Star.

But really BOSTON baked beans.
Is there a Boston Texas or Mexico?

Worth

[coronabarb]

Yeah, Boston Baked Beans - about as far from Tex Mex as you can get.

Hey Tracy, do you have the recipe for Hab Gold Jelly?

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by mensplace

My neighbor from Oklahoma frequently talks about how much he misses "Charro Beans". Sounds like Pintos with some spices and maybe salsa mixed in?

Originally Posted by Worth1

I eat them here in Texas not hard to make.

worth

The best Charro beans I've had were at Sante Fe Flats, followed by Lupe Tortilla -- both in Houston. Most recipes I've seen for Charro beans just dump a bunch of ingredients into beans and the beans won't have time to pick up the flavors. One recipe I saw that looked like it would really taste great looked like would take hours and hours to prepare. Maybe I can experiment and come up with something quicker, because to me they are so far superior to Refried beans.

-------------------------------------------------------

Someone mentioned Boston Baked Beans. America's Test Kitchen tried for 3 months to come up with a faster way -- they didn't find one. If you are he!! bent on making authentic ones, count on 5 hours of cooking in a cast iron Dutch oven to get them tender and correct. I tried their recipe and after 5 hours, you know what I found? Bush's Baked Beans are darned close!

So the recipe posted by Alittlesalt is what I consider grilling beans as they are baked beans doctored up with lots of other ingredients. My recipe for that is from a guy named Jeepdad. He makes these, puts them under the pork shoulder (pulled pork), ribs, or whatever other meat he smokes for 3-5 hours, so all the drippings and smoke end up in the beans. I have made this a dozen times and it is soooooo good:

2 28oz Cans of Bush's Original Baked Beans - undrained
1 large yellow onion - chopped
1/3 cup BBQ sauce (any brand will do)
1 entire red bell pepper - diced
1/3 cup syrup - either maple or cane
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tsp dry mustard
1-1/2 cups BBQ pulled pork (or rib tips, brisket whatever you have)
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp smoked chili pepper (or whatever you have or leave it out)
1/4 lb uncooked bacon slices - cut in quarters (After 3 hours, add the bacon slices to the top of the mixture.)

If you must cut down the cooking time less than 5 hours, then put the onion and bell pepper into a blender with some water and puree it, then transfer to a measuring cup and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 5 minutes. Otherwise you will have unappetizing firm chunks of pepper and onion in your beans.

[mensplace]

There is a New Boston Texas, but doubt there is a Texas Mexico. What really is TexMex? All the TexMex we see is gringo Mexican with rice, bland beans, and a Speedy Gonzales A, B. or C? Kind of like calling beef brisket BBQ. Seems I recall that most of those early guys who founded and defended Texas came from the S.E..

[Worth1]

My great grandfather come from Georgia in the 1800s

Worth

[AlittleSalt]

Sorry for posting a recipe that is not Mexican or TexMex.

[coronabarb]

We are just teasing and having fun, A Little Salt! It's not a problem.