I saw a man at Target the other day, meandering through the junior girls section with his two pre-teen daughters. He noticed the lackluster looks on their faces as they checked out the clothes and he said, “I can always take y’all back to Walmart.” I snorted and told him that that is a pretty serious threat, and we laughed. But really, though, I feel for those girls! Target is slim pickins these days. I don’t know if it’s because of supply chains being impacted by Covid or because Target is the only place people are shopping these days (it’s the only place I go besides the grocery store!), but stock is low for whatever reason. Anybody else noticed? Come on Covid vaccine, we’re rooting for you! Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram How was everyone’s Fourth of July?? We headed up to Montana to visit Eric’s parents and had so much fun. There is just something about Montana in the summer that is very nostalgic, even though I didn’t grow up there. It’s so beautiful. And it was definitely nice to get out of the house! Have you heard of Pinquito beans? They are small pink beans that grow on the coast in central California. They are a cross between a pink bean and a small white bean. I have yet to learn of another location where they are grown and harvested. They are hearty little beans with a meaty flavor. They keep their shape when you cook them, which results in this amazing texture for your final bean dish. They are soft and tender but not mushy. They are nutty and earthy and oh so creamy! I was perusing the comments on one of the sites that sells these beans (more on that below) and stumbled on this review for pinquito beans: “These are my favorite “eatin’ beans” – beans that I just cook up in a pot with a little bit of onion/garlic/pig/chicken broth. I love the just-right texture and oh, that pot liquor [pronounced POT LICKAH]. These don’t need much to be delicious.” Hear, hear! It won’t be quite the same because pinquito beans have their own very unique flavor that you will be missing out on, but you will still get a really wonderful bean dish at the end of the day. Don’t use pinto beans or kidney beans. Although they are related to pinquito beans, they are just not the right kind of bean for this dish; a nice small white bean will get you closer to the flavor and texture of pinquito beans. We always ate tri tip with traditional holiday food: mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, Seafoam salad, and maybe a vegetable or two if we were feeling healthy. But really it was all about the tri tip. After posting my recipe for How to Cook Tri Tip (which is now one of the top recipes on my site), I started to hear more about a dish called Santa Maria Pinquito Beans. I’d never heard of it but discovered that it is the traditional side dish served alongside tri tip in Santa Maria, where the tri tip craze got started. So I got to work. Tri tip will forever and always be my favorite when it comes to barbecue, so how could I miss out on its long time sidekick?? The short answer is, you should just buy pinquito beans online from California bean companies like Susie Q’s, Rancho Gordo, or Lompoc. You can also substitute a small white bean, like a navy bean, but it won’t be quite the same because pinquito beans have their own very unique flavor that you will be missing out on. Don’t use pinto beans or kidney beans. Although they are related to pinquito beans, they are just not the right kind of bean for this dish; a nice small white bean will get you closer to the flavor and texture of pinquito beans. If you don’t want to roast and peel your own Anaheim chiles, you can replace them with a 7 ounce can of green chiles; buy the fire roasted kind if you can find them. Drain the chiles and add it at the same point in the recipe as the fresh ones. The recipe is a little untraditional because it’s made in two pans. Normally when I make beans I throw everything into a pot and simmer until it’s tasty. But quite a few of the recipes I found had you cook the pinquito beans in water separately, then add it to a sauce made in a different pan. I was dubious at first, but I tried it both ways, and the two pot version is indeed more flavorful and hearty, so I’m sticking with it. First throw the beans and water into a big pot with a ham hock. I love the smokey flavor that ham hocks add to the final dish! Plus there is a little bit of smokey ham left on those hock usually, that I like to chop up and add to the beans when they’re all done cooking. Cook the beans at a low simmer for a couple hours, until they are nice and tender. They won’t be falling apart like pinto beans, they will remain as they are when you started cooking: tiny cute pink beans. Don’t add salt; salt inhibits a bean’s ability to absorb water and will just slow down your cooking time. Meanwhile, put together your bean sauce. Start out with a full pound of bacon. (See, I told you this was good stuff.) Crisp up the bacon, then add in a white onion and some roasted Anaheim chiles. I love the flavor that fresh roasted chiles adds to the final dish, but I get that roasting peppers is annoying, and some of you might not even have Anaheims at your store. You can use a can of diced green chiles if you must. See notes for details. Next add in some tomato sauce and spices: paprika, mustard, and ancho chile powder are the most important spices in traditional Santa Maria Beans. Oh, and garlic. Don’t forget the garlic!! Simmer the sauce over low heat for a few minutes and then add in the beans. You can add as much of the “bean juice” (pot lickah!) that you want. I added most of mine in but use your best judgment to get the consistency you want. Then serve these beans alongside some Grilled Tri Tip! It’s heaven! In Santa Maria, the full traditional meal includes Grilled Tri Tip, Santa Maria beans, mild tomato salsa, garlic bread, and a cold relish tray. YUM. And there you have it! Santa Maria style pinquito beans made in your very own home. It’s taken the last 70 years for the tri tip phenomenon to slowly make it’s way across the country, let’s spread the news about pinquito beans starting now! They are so delicious! Enjoy! Honestly though, anytime you’re grilling (chicken! ribs!) these beans make an amazing side. You could also serve the beans with a big pot of rice, or Spanish cauliflower rice.
Can Santa Maria Pinquito Beans be frozen?
Yep! If you find the whole batch is too much for you at one time, you can freeze the finished beans for up to six months. Perfect for pulling out any time the pinquito cravings hit! Traditional Tejano Pinto Beans (Slow Cooker) « this recipe is from my brother-in-law’s Tejana grandmother. Red Beans and Rice « these are so creamy and good, and seriously even better than Popeye’s (and I love me some Popeye’s!) Cowboy Pinto Bean Soup « this recipe also has bacon and tomatoes and chiles in it! Such a great combo! Bacon Baked Beans « what can I say, bacon makes the world go round. The Best Chili Recipe I’ve Ever Made « Beans in chili forever. Sorry Texas. Caribbean Rice and Beans from Immaculate Bites The Best Baked Beans from Oh Sweet Basil Southern Pinto Beans from Grandbaby Cakes
