The Other Side of the Tortilla

crock-pot

Crock-Pot frijoles de la olla

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Frijoles de la olla are a staple in Central Mexican cuisine. Traditionally, they’re cooked in a clay pot, but this version is adapted for cooking in a slow-cooker or Crock-Pot.

There are three types of beans you typically see in frijoles de la olla recipes: frijoles bayos, flor de mayo or pinto beans. Frijoles de la olla made with those type of beans are most common in Central Mexico. All three varieties have a pinkish hue, with pinto beans being the lightest in color among them. These are also the same kind of beans I use for making frijoles charros.

While individual recipes for frijoles de la olla may vary, they will also often include common ingredients such as onion, garlic, manteca de cerdo (pork lard), salt and hierbas de olor (herbs such as epazote or cilantro that are cooked in with the beans for flavor). Other variations may include different spices such as cumin or bay leaves.

In Eastern Mexican states such as Veracruz and others bordering the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the South and Southeast states of the country such as Oaxaca, black beans are preferred over bayo, flor de mayo or pinto varieties. Accompaniments may also vary by region to include a fresh squeeze of lime juice, diced onion, chile serrano, chopped cilantro or crumbled fresh cheese.

Cooking tips for frijoles de la olla

To prep this dish the night before, add everything to the crock-pot except the liquids, pork neck bones and salt. The next day, add the liquid and pork neck bones and turn on high.

If you’re planning to let this cook all day while you’re not home, use a slow-cooker that has a timer that will turn the heat off or to a very low “keep warm” setting after the cooking time. You can then add the salt, reheat them for 30-60 minutes in the slow-cooker and enjoy!

If you don’t have a guajillo chile at home but you have other dried chiles, any other dried red chile you like and have on hand is an acceptable substitute. Just be sure to portion based on the heat factor! Or you can leave the chile out altogether if you prefer.

For those who like their beans with a thicker stew-like consistency instead of broth, some cooks mash or blend a portion of the beans and then re-add to the pot as the broth cooks down.

To make this dish vegetarian-friendly, leave out the pork neck bones and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

This recipe will give you plenty of leftovers, and it’s great as a snack, a side dish, or even a main dish with some garnishes and mix-ins.

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pinto beans

Crock-Pot frijoles de la olla

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Maura Wall Hernandez
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours, 15 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings 1x
  • Method: Slow-cooker
  • Cuisine: Mexican
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Description

Frijoles de la olla are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Traditionally, they’re cooked in a clay pot over a fire or on the stove, but this version is adapted for cooking in a slow-cooker or Crock-Pot.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups frijoles pintos (pinto beans)
  • 2 cups chicken broth (substitute with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)
  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 1/2 of a white onion, sliced 1/4 inch-thick
  • 1 chile guajillo
  • 1/2 of a small head of garlic (about 4–6 cloves)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • a few pork neck bones (leave these out for a vegetarian version)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (to be added in last 45 minutes of cooking)

Instructions

 

  1. First, rinse your beans under cool water to remove any dirt or debris and get rid of any broken beans. There’s no need to soak the beans overnight!
  2. Layer the onion slices along the bottom of the crock-pot. Place the beans directly over the top of the onions. Tear off the stem of the chile and tuck it into the beans and nestle the pork neck bones in the beans, too. Add the chicken broth. Remove the papery skin from the garlic cloves and place in the crock-pot whole. Add the ground cumin.
  3. You’ll notice the chicken broth isn’t enough to cover the beans and keep all the ingredients moist while cooking. Add 4 cups of boiling water over the top, making sure all the ingredients are under the broth and water and then put the cover on the slow-cooker.
  4. Turn the heat on to high for 5-6 hours (individual slow-cookers can vary slightly in temperature). If the beans start to get dry during cooking, add 1-2 extra cups of boiling water. I only had to add about one cup in the last hour. You can substitute boiling chicken broth in place of the extra boiling water if you like. Add the salt in the last 45 minutes of cooking and stir it in gently to incorporate.
  5. Serve warm.

 

Notes

The beans should be soft to bite and have a nice broth when they’re finished, but shouldn’t be watery.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

CROCK-POT COCHINITA PIBIL

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Cochinita pibil is a traditional dish from the state of Yucatán that’s cooked in an oven made inside a hole in the ground (called a pib). But did you know you can make a really good version of this dish in a slow-cooker?

When I found out that January was National Slow-Cooking Month, I knew exactly what recipe I was going to adapt for Crock-Pot cooking. I’ve always wanted to test my theory that cochinita pibil can be done in a slow-cooker, so the fact that it was a nationally recognized month-long culinary holiday-of-sorts was the perfect chance to take on the challenge.

How to make cochinita pibil in a slow-cooker or Crock-Pot via theothersideofthetortilla.com

 

Yes, we’ve posted a recipe here before for cochinita, but let me tell you why this one is different. We’re using a different cut of meat (boneless country-style pork ribs), an easy spice mix made from scratch (no achiote paste in brick-form here), and as with most slow-cooker recipes, you can set it and forget it, making it relatively hassle-free compared to the traditional method of making cochinita pibil.

If you’re making it for guests, you can still serve it wrapped in warm banana leaves to impress them. Just check out our original recipe for cochinita pibil for directions on how to heat the banana leaves so they’re pliable.

And finally, we’re not going to serve our cochinita pibil as a taco like you might expect–we’re going to serve them on tostadas.

This dish can also be served as panuchos by putting the refried black beans inside little tortillas, frying before adding the meat, salsa and any garnishes on top, but trust me when I say store-bought tostadas are going to save you a lot of time. Plus, this recipe is a bit healthier because we’re leaving the frying out. If you can’t find small tostadas or picaditas at your grocery store, you can make your own by either heating corn tortillas in the oven until they’re dry and crispy, or you can get the same result by cooking them longer on your comal.

But before we move on to the recipe, let’s talk a little about what a slow-cooker (or Crock-Pot) actually is so there’s no confusion because I often get asked if a slow cooker is the same as a pressure cooker. (The answer is no. In fact, they’re opposites.) A slow-cooker is a counter-top electric device that you plug in and usually has a removable glazed ceramic or porcelain pot, surrounded by a heat-conducting housing. They typically have two cooking settings: low or high, and a keep warm setting. Some of the more expensive slow-cookers have more options for controlling the heat as well as a timer with an automatic-shut off.

The point of a slow cooker is to cook things with steady low, moist heat which makes it ideal for soups, stews and cooking meats that you want to be fork-tender, but without all the fuss of watching it constantly. The lid of the slow cooker typically has a small vent in order to let some of the steam escape and can be removed during the cooking process to stir the ingredients if needed.

So now that you know the difference, let’s get slow-cooking.

What marinating the meat looks like:

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Crock-Pot Cochinita Pibil

Yield: 3 1/2 cups of meat

Use your Crock-Pot or slow-cooker for a no-fuss, easy-cleanup variation of a classic Yucatan favorite, cochinita pibil. Tip: Serve on mini tostadas for a perfect party-treat!

Ingredients

  • Meat and marinade:
  • 1 1/2 pounds country-style boneless pork ribs
  • 1 cup fresh lime juice (about 10 medium-large limes)
  • 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 of a large red onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • Spices:
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 1/2 teaspoon ground achiote
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon whole Mexican oregano
  • Salsa:
  • 1/2 of a large red onion, sliced into small strips
  • juice of 1 large orange
  • juice of 2 large limes
  • 1 roasted habanero chile, finely chopped
  • For tostadas:
  • 1 package of small tostadas or picaditas
  • 1 cup refried black beans

Instructions

  1. THE NIGHT BEFORE: MARINATING THE MEAT - Start by squeezing the fresh lime juice and orange juice. Once you have the juice, put it in a medium to large glass bowl and add the crushed garlic. It's important to use glass rather than metal/stainless steel or plastic because glass is non-reactive and non-corrosive.
  2. Combine all the dry spices and mix well; then add vinegar and olive oil. Stir to incorporate the liquids and add to the glass bowl with the citrus juices and garlic. Stir well and add the pork to the bowl, making sure it’s completely covered by the juice. Cover and allow it to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
  3. Making the salsa: Slice 1/2 of a large red onion into small strips and mix it with the juice of 1 orange and 2 limes. Roast one habanero on your comal or in a skillet, remove the stem (and seeds if you want to reduce some of the heat), and finely chop. Add the habanero to the salsa. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight.
  4. THE DAY OF: Slice the remaining half onion into quarter-inch thick slices and place them on the bottom of the crock-pot. Remove the meat and marinade from the refrigerator and place the meat over the onions. Pour all the juice over the meat.
  5. Place the lid on the crock-pot and cook on high for 5 hours (or on low for 8-9 hours). You should NOT rush and cook this recipe on high heat for half the time - it doesn't work that way! You'll end up with tough meat.
  6. You’ll know it’s finished cooking when you remove a piece of meat from the crock-pot and can shred it with a fork without much effort. Shred all the pork. Place the meat in a bowl and add a little juice from the Crock-Pot to keep the meat moist.
  7. Heat the tostadas in the oven at 200º F for a few minutes. Spread warm refried black beans on the tostadas. Add the shredded pork on top of the beans and spoon some of the habanero salsa and onions on top of the pork.

https://theothersideofthetortilla.com/2011/01/crock-pot-cochinita-pibil-panuchos-yucatecos/