Homemade Blackbeans

This is a STAPLE PEOPLE :)
I make a batch of beans, usually black beans every week. They cost around $1.79 per pound dry, and then they keep in the fridge for about a week-- not to mention how many uses they have: an arepa topping, taco or enchilada filling, they can go in soups or chili or with eggs for breakfast; the list goes on and on.

For this recipe you will need:

A slowcooker(!!)
4 cups of dry black beans
1 medium onion (diced)
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 tablespoon of cumin
Salt to taste

First, rinse your black beans in a colander and go through them-- sometimes I find little stones and such mixed in, so this is an important step. The last thing you want is to bite into your steaming, delicious slow-cooked black beans and break a tooth. I used to skip this step because I like to go fast, and then OTHER people would bite into little rocks and I would feel so horrible that the guilt and shame alone of being too lazy to take the extra step and possibly cracking my guest's crowns gets me to rinse them each and every time now.

SO DO THAT.

Now, put your rinsed beans and diced onion in your slow cooker and cover with water completely. I usually put double the amount of water in (so 8 cups)

DO NOT PUT ANY SALT IN AT THIS POINT. NONE. ZERO. ABSOLUTELY NO SALT. It will keep your beans from getting soft; no one likes crunchy beans.

SLOW COOK.
I cook them (covered*) on low for 8-10 hours, stirring every couple of hours and checking the water level. You are going to have the opportunity to drain them before you use them in any recipe so you can't over-water them while they are slow-cooking...

About an hour before the slow cook cycle is up (say at hour 9) and maybe you have an intention to eat them inside of a taco or something, at this point I stir in the cumin, minced garlic and I salt it to my liking.

DELICIOUS.

Eat them hot and seasoned...

Or drain off 90% the liquid, put them on the stove on medium low heat and mash with chili, cumin, garlic, salt and a hint of lime for "refried beans."

...or let them cool and put them in the fridge in a sealed container until you are ready to use them in another amazing and delicious dish!