In Texas, where I live, pinto beans are a big part of the menu at some steak houses and bbq joints. Some will have the beans with generous amounts of brisket and it’s to die for…so here’s how I’ve learned to cook mine:
1. Add 4 or 5 slices brisket (untrimmed) to a crock pot. Add water to submerge the meat and season to your preference. Salt, pepper, and maybe a seasoned salt. The brisket slices should be 1/2 in to 3/4” thick. You will only use about 1/2 the brisket or less. Wrap and freeze and save it for the next one.
2. Let it cook for 4 hours on high. Make sure to add water to keep meat moist.
3. Add 2 cups of washed pinto beans to your meat. I also like to add 2 whole jalapeños (cut off the stems), a handful of chopped cilantro (stems only- not the leafy part), and a few slices of bacon that I cooked first on the grill for 5-7 minutes.
4. Let cook for several hours and continue to stir, add occasional seasoning, and make sure water level keeps meat moist.
5. When meat is tender, remove slices and trim the meat (I just use two forks, remove the fat and shred the meat). I also like to drain off some of the liquid fat.
6. Return the meat to the beans in the crock pot. Let simmer on low heat for another couple of hours. Enjoy.
This is a project and will take 14-18 hours depending on how much meat you use. It fluctuates and depends on the amount of meat you use. I believe less meat is more in this case as this is to make beans that just happens to have a lot of meat in them. I’ve done this for years and have tweaked it over the years. Turns out great.
