I’m totally embarassed to have to ask this question, but I have next to no experience with the slow cooker. I want to cook up some black beans. I have some seasonings to use but also wanted to add onion and corn.
My question is: do I add the onion and corn at the beginning, middle, or end of cooking? Since the beans are cooking in water I didn’t know if the flavor of the onions and corn would get leached out, or if I could just dump everything in at once and turn it on.
Advanced question - the ultimate goal is beans and rice. Is there a way to cook the rice with the beans in the crockpot, or does it have to be done separately?
You’ll need to soak the beans at least overnight* before you put them in the crock pot. I tend to put veggies in toward the end of cooking, because I don’t like mushy veggies. So when you add the onion and corn is up to you.
I think if you use long cooking rice (not Minute Rice) you should be able to put it all in at the same time, but I could be mistaken.
*Assuming you’re using dried beans. If you’re using canned beans you don’t have to soak.
I like to put in half the onions at the beginning, so they sort of dissolve into the water, and the balance about an hour before the end so they are still a little solid.
I suggest cooking the rice separately, and then ladling the beans over it to serve. The last time I added rice to a slow cooker (roast, I think) I ended up with a solid stew. The rice mushed up and then broke down and then congealed with the fats, and it was just gross. Also, the sheer amount of water that would be needed to cook beans and rice together would likely turn your yummy dinner into a pot of mush.
It all depends on how you like your veggies. I’d guess frozen corn would be fine to add at the start, especially since black beans won’t take too terribly long to cook. If you’re after more onion flavor than actual onion, add them at the start, too.