I’d like to make some black beans, but it’s been a while since I’ve done. (Usually I cook blackeyed peas or pinto beans with hamhocks.) This is what I’m thinking:
[ul][li]Soak a pound of black beans overnight, drain and rinse;[/li][li]Put the beans in a slow cooker and cover with water;[/li][li]Sauté three cloves of garlic and a white or yellow onion in olive oil, then add them to the beans;[/li][li]Chop up half a pound of bacon (raw) and add to the pot and add them to the pot;[/li][li]Cook on “high” for six hours.[/ul][/li]Does that sound about right? Or should I do it a different way?
Well, sure, that’ll work! Anything pinto beans can do, black beans can do better! 
Try refried black beans sometime … mmmmm … (hint: always use bacon fat with refried beans, never lard).
Sounds good. I’d add cumin or thyme- thyme might be better with the bacon.
I should do some ham and black beans tomorrow.
Add some chopped green or red pepper, hit it semi-hard with some hot sauce, and serve with rice. Yummy!
For a rib-sticking meal, chunk up some sausage and tomatoes and add to the beans an hour before serving. Over rice, of course.
That’s why I’m thinking about putting the bacon in raw; so that the fat will come out and flavour the beans. 
silenus: Sounds good, but I don’t know if my roommate likes bell peppers. As for hot sauce, we both like it; but I think it would be better to do that individually. I could chop up a cerrano chili and cook it in though.
frijoles negros
1 lb black beans, soaked overnight
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (more or less)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped coarsely
salt
Cholula hot sauce
cilantro
sour cream
chopped jalapenos (optional)
Drain and rinse beans. Cover beans 2" in a stock pot with stock. Add onions, garlic, sun dried tomatoes (and jalapenos). Boil, cover and reduce to simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until beans are very tender. Add salt, pepper, and Cholula to taste. Blend with a hand blender until smooth. Place serving in a bowl, add a dollop of sour cream, and make a quick spiral stir with a chopstick. Garnish with cilantro. Extra hot sauce can be added here.
Yum. Sriracha (rooster) sauce also works in this dish for heat and flavor.
I can never remember the name, so I call it “Chicken Sauce”. (I happen to have a bottle in the fridge. 
)
Spicy Black Bean Burgers
[ul]
[li]½ cup flour[/li][li]1 small onion, diced[/li][li]2 cloves garlic, minced[/li][li]½ tsp dried oregano[/li][li]1 small hot or jalapeño pepper, minced[/li][li]1 tbsp olive oil[/li][li]½ medium red pepper, diced[/li][li]2 cups cooked or canned black beans, mashed[/li][li]½ cup corn niblets[/li][li]½ cup bread crumbs[/li][li]¼ tsp cumin[/li][li]½ tsp salt[/li][li]2 tsp chili powder[/li][li]2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced (optional)[/li][/ul]
On a small plate, set aside flour for coating. In a medium saucepan, sauté the onion, garlic, oregano, and hot pepper in oil on medium-high heat until the onions are translucent. Add the peppers and sauté another 2 minutes, until pepper is tender. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the black beans with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the vegetables (including the corn), bread crumbs, cumin, salt, chili powder, and parsley. Mix well. Divide and shape into 5 or 6 patties. Lay down each patty in flour, coating each side. Cook on a lightly oiled frying pan on medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, or until browned on both sides. Makes 4-6 patties.
Here in Mexico, beans of course are a main part of the diet. In many households beans are first prepared without any other flavoring and then are used in a variety of ways.
[ol]
[li]Soak beans overnight[/li][li]Boil beans until tender, usually several hours[/li][li]Add salt and boil for awhile longer[/li][/ol]
Nowyou have a pot of beans, called frijoles de la olla. Usually a large pot is prepared and the same pot of boiled beans can be used for different dishes for several different meals.
Bean soup
[ol]
[li]Fry chopped bacon in pot[/li][li]Remove bacon and sautee chopped onion and tomato in bacon fat until tender[/li][li]Return bacon to the pot and add beans with cooking liquid[/li][li]Add a couple of chipotle chiles, cut in two and a few sprigs of cilantro[/li][li]Cook over low heat for another 1/2 hour[/li][li]Adjust seasoning[/li][/ol]
You can substitute chopped chorizo for the bacon.
Refried beans
[ol]
[li]Heat lard (sorry Ponder but lard is the norm here) in pan until smoking (this is important), lower heat[/li][li]Add a thick slice of onion or a chile to hot lard (this removes smokey flavor)[/li][li]Carefully add beans and mash to the consistency of your liking[/li][li] Cook beans over low heat until homogeneous[/li][li] Thickness can be adjusted by adding bean cooking liquid[/li][/ol]
Here is a recipe which uses the refried beans.
Molletes
[ol]
[li]Split a hard roll, such as a sourdough roll in half and lightly toast on griddle[/li][li]Place layer of warm refried beans on roll and cover with a good white cheese. We use queso chihuahua, but maybe a mozzarella or jack will do.[/li][li]Place under broiler to melt cheese[/li][li]Can be topped with slices of avocado, chopped bacon or ham etc.[/li][li]Serve with side of salsa mexicana (chopped onion, tomato and chile serrano)[/li][/ol]
I cook black beans with white onion, garlic, cumin, celery salt, (or ground celery seed if you can get it) a bit of parsely or oregano sometimes, also maybe a drop of two of Tobasco Sauce. I often use the water I soaked them in for cooking, (I wash them off and sort them thoroughly before soaking, so the water is “clean”) and I also use salt pork instead of bacon for flavor. I’ve noticed that it gives LOTS more flavor. I refry them, and serve them with monteray jack or good asedero (sp?) cheese, and tortillia chips, or serve them right out of the pot, with slices of garden fresh tomato. Mmmm!
Note: because I use salt pork, I don’t put much if ANY salt into the water as the beans first cook. The salt pork alone is salty enough.
Black bean and corn salsa.
1/2 cup drained, cooked black beans
1/2 cup roasted corn kernels ( wrap moistened ear in foil and bake in oven or BBQ. Cut off kernels when done)
2 tbs finely diced red onion
1/2 tbs finely diced jalapeno
2 tbs fresh lime juice
2 tbs fresh chopped basil leaves
2 tbs olive oil
Combine in bowl and mix
A nice tart salsa for the BBQ. Most are sweet or hot and one of each should be provided with BBQ’d meat, fish or chicken. You can prepare it all and put the corn ears on with the meat.
I’ve put the beans on. Thanks for the suggestions (and do feel free to make some more!). I’ve used the recipe I originally posted; except my fresh garlic didn’t look adequate so I used Trader Joe’s minced garlic. I also sliced up a fresh jalapeño chili and threw that in. Now I wait…
BTW, I’ll be eating the beans on tortillas with grated medium cheddar.
Drat you for living near a Trader Joe’s. I’ve visited their website, and it made me cry. I want one in Toronto, dammit! And right now, too!
I’m going to put beans on today. It’s -35 outside right now, and no way am I leaving the house for any reason- which makes it a bean day. Beans with ham and maybe duck fat (yes, I do have a container of duck fat. Best thing in the world for eggs and potatoes) and garlic. Maybe I’ll do a casserole thing with some of them, with cheese and corn, and some refried beans. Sorry for the hijack.
Wow, great stuff here. **CBEscapee **, feel free to give all of the authentic mexican recipes you want. I really enjoyed that.