Chef John's Santa Maria-Style Beans

Santa Maria-style beans are made with a variety of pink pinquito beans that are cooked in a spicy, smoky sauce spiked with two kinds of pork.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 344 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 pinch dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 pound dry pink beans (such as pinquito)
• cold water to cover
• 2 slices peppered bacon, diced
• 0.5 cup water
• 0.25 cup ketchup
• 0.5 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 0.5 cup diced smoked ham

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Place pink beans into a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 8 hours to overnight. Drain.

Step 2

Place drained beans in a stockpot with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook until almost completely tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes.

Step 3

While beans are simmering, cook and stir bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until cooked through but not crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ham; cook and stir until ham is heated through, about 1 minute. Stir garlic into ham mixture and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, ketchup, sugar, dry mustard, paprika, chili powder, salt, chipotle chile powder, and oregano. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until flavors blend, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Drain beans, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Combine beans, reserved liquid, and tomato mixture in the beans stockpot; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and mixture has thickened, about 30 minutes.