20 Minute Cuban Style Black Beans Recipes

Steps:

• Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and select Saute function. Add chopped bacon and cook until browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add onion and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 5 minutes more. Add garlic and saute another 30 seconds.
• Add water, chicken broth, dried beans, vinegar, sazon, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir. Close and lock the lid, select Manual function, and set timer for 40 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions for 15 minutes. Unlock and remove the lid. Stir beans and remove bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve beans with a wedge of fresh lime and garnish with cilantro.

Steps:

• Cut the bell pepper and onion into large chunks. Place them into a food processor along with the cilantro, garlic and halved jalapeño. (Seed jalapeño for less spicy beans.) Pulse until vegetables are chopped fairly small but not pulsed into a paste.
• Add olive oil to a medium sized stock pot. Over medium heat, add vegetables and sauté until softened about 5-8 minutes.
• Drain the liquid from just 2 of the 3 cans of black beans. Add all the cans of beans to the vegetables.
• Add the salt, oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and honey. Bring the beans to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
• Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar (based on taste). Taste beans and adjust spices as necessary.
• Notes: The beans will keep in the fridge for up to a week. If you want a spicier pot of beans, don't seed the chili or jalapeño. For a thicker bean consistency, drain all three cans of black beans.

Steps:

• Cut 1 green pepper into 1-inch squares. Smash and peel 4 of the garlic cloves. Put the green pepper and garlic into a large pot with the beans, ham hock, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt. Add 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer until the beans are tender, an hour or more.
• Meanwhile, make a sofrito. Cut the remaining ½ green pepper into ¼-inch dice. Peel and finely chop the remaining garlic. Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño (leave out the seeds if you don't want it too spicy), oregano, cumin, black pepper and 2 teaspoons salt and stir for another minute. Pour in the vinegar and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. This is your sofrito.
• When the beans are cooked, discard the bay leaf. Remove and set aside the ham hock and let it cool. Transfer 1 cup of beans to small bowl, mash them into a paste with the back of a fork and return to the pot. Add the sofrito, then the sugar. Pull the meat from the ham hock, leaving behind any white sinew or gristle. Chop the ham into ½-inch pieces and return it to the bean pot.
• Stir the beans well and bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so, skimming any foam from the top. Taste for salt and serve with white rice.