Proper Beans
(a combination of the methods from the Terrazzos family & a friend from the South west)
Take about 1 to 2 cups of dry pinto or kidney beans and cover them with cold water in pan with a lot of room for expansion.
Soak overnight, then drain water out in a colander and rise beans
Refill with cold water (cover beans and a bit) bring to a rolling boil then simmer for about an hour with nothing added.
When beans are starting to get soft add 1tsp of salt and a piece of bacon/ham/ham bone and simmer for about three hours (check for dryness and add more water as needed) - this makes plain beans
Or add satueed onions and garlic, along with the salt and bacon/ham/ham bone; this was my friend J. Terrazzos grandmother's method, she would also turn the heat up and down, sometimes even turning it off, over several hours of cooking.
When I got a solid fuel stove, I discovered that this is exactly what happens on a turf/wood stove when you cook beans as you move them around, from the back of the stove to the hot spot and then back to the back of the stove.
My family prefers the plain bean version (which can also be cooked with variable heat) but I use Mrs. Terrazzo's version with vegetarian beans, except I leave out the port products. The onion and garlic do pretty well on their own and taste pretty nice, though I like them better with the meat myself.
DC
expatriate Californian living in rural Ireland with husband, dogs, horses. garden and many, many cats