Slow Cooker Chuck Wagon Beans!

 

This is an old recipe that my mother used to make when we had a busy day ahead and she knew she wouldn't have time to be in the kitchen a lot.  I remember having this on Sundays sometimes after church, in the afternoon, because it was something she could have ready when we got home.   Even though this is similar to chili, it's more like a bean stew, if that makes sense.  It tends to be thicker and more like cooked beans.  If you add cornbread to this, it makes a good meal though.   Put it all in the slow cooker the night before and dinner is ready for the next day.   Here is what you will need:

4 cups dried pinto beans, uncooked (washed and sorted)
9 cups water
1 large (29 oz.) can of crushed tomatoes
1 (10oz.) can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 green bell pepper diced
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1 Tb. bacon drippings
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
1 Tbs. chili powder
1/2 - 1 tsp. hot sauce (I used Tabasco)
1 1/2 -2 lbs. ground chuck

Garnish
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
Vidalia onion, diced or green onion

Make sure to wash and sort through the beans, picking out any rocks or shriveled beans.  Place the beans, water and all of the other ingredients except the ground chuck in a large slow cooker (at least 5-6 quart).   Brown the ground chuck in a skillet on the stove and drain.  Place it in the slow cooker with the other ingredients.   Set on low and cook for 8-10 hours.   At the end of the cooking time taste for seasoning.  This might need a tad more salt or hot sauce according to your preference. 

Some of the myths about cooking dried beans both in the slow cooker and on the stove...like they have to be soaked overnight and you cannot salt them before they are cooked or they will never get soft, are just that myths.  You can presoak beans and it does lessen the cooking time, but in a slow cooker it really makes very little difference.  If I am cooking them on the stove I like to bring them to a boil for a few minutes and then drain the water, add new cold water and start them from there.  This does remove some of their more...uh, explosive properties, if you know what I mean...lol.   The one about not salting, I have no idea where that came from, because it's absolutely not true and I actually think they are hard to salt and get tasty after they have cooked and are best when salted from the start.

This is a really good meal when served with cornbread and either the Cornbread Hoe Cakes or Aunt Vel's Sour Cream Cornbread are the perfect choices!

Garnish with chopped Vidalia onion and shredded cheddar cheese!

Chuck Wagon Beans!