Chuck Wagon Beans

Slow-cooked pinto beans and dense cast iron skillet cornbread

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City/Region: United States of America

Time Period: 1896

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The cook for a cattle drive, often called “cookie”, was usually a former cowboy himself, having aged out of the profession by 25. They’d wake up around 3:00 AM to get breakfast ready, then pack up and drive ahead about 15 miles to prepare supper. 

These beans are very simple, and surprisingly delicious. Honestly, the garlic doesn’t do a whole lot (who only uses half a clove?), but they’re still very good. Feel free to use however hot a red pepper you like, and the beans are a perfect accompaniment to the Chuck Wagon Cornbread. Mighty fine, indeed.

““FRIJOLES.”
1 cup Mexican beans.
1/2 clove garlic.
1 long red pepper.
1 thin small slice bacon.
Soak beans over night; boil slowly until soft—from eight to ten hours. Add red pepper, garlic, and bacon, and bake.”

— Manual for Army Cooks, 1896

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup (150 g) dried pinto beans
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 thin slice bacon, chopped
• 1 long fresh red pepper*, chopped

Instructions:

1. Cover the beans with water and soak overnight.
2. Drain the beans and put them in an oven-safe pot. Cover them with plenty of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When they’re simmering, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 90 minutes.
3. When the 90 minutes are almost up, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
4. After the beans have simmered for 90 minutes, stir in the salt, garlic, bacon, and red pepper. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven and bake it for 1 hour.
5. After 1 hour in the oven, remove the lid and bake for another 90 minutes. You want most of the liquid to have cooked off. If the liquid cooks off too quickly, add a little bit of water so that it doesn’t cook dry in the 90 minutes.
6. Serve them forth with Chuck Wagon Cornbread.

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