Beans are a staple of long term food storage, and for good reason. Beans are a great source of useable protein, contain no cholestrol and are rich in fiber. They are also a good source of Vitamins A and C, Thiamine, potassium and iron.

Pinto beans are a great long-term storage staple, and taste great too!

So, you already know all that. The point is, how can you serve beans regularly, while still adding some variety?

by Leon Pantenburg

This week’s survival recipe comes from Jan LeBaron’s latest cookbook: “Jan’s Fabulous Food Storage Recipes: Converting Stored Foods Into Usable Meals.”

This pinto bean recipe is simple and easy to prepare in advance. Serve beans with rice and you get a complete protein. As Jan recommends in her cookbook, combine this recipe with cornbread or Sopapillas or tortillas.

“When times are hard, this is a good meal to have every week,” she comments in the cookbook.

I might add, when times are good, pinto beans can be part of a great, quick meal when everybody has somewhere to go during the evening! Make the rice and re-fried beans in advance and refrigerate. Then, all you have to do is brown some hamburger with a packet of taco seasoning. Warm and combine all these ingredients with some shredded cheese and lettuce and roll in a flour tortilla, and you have one of my favorite fast meals!

Combine these ingredients into a burrito and make a foil wrap, and put the packet in a re-sealable plastic bag for a quick meal on a dayhike or outing. At lunch or dinner time, make a campfire, and when the coals burn down, remove the foil wrap from the plastic bag and toss it on. Cook about five to ten minutes, then turn and cook another five to ten minutes. (Click to learn how to make a foil wrap.)

Here’s how to make the beans:

Favorite Family Pinto Beans

2-1/4 c pinto beans

2 quarts water

2 Tbs oil (optional)

1 Tbs onion, powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp salt

Soak the beans either overnight, or in boiiling water for about an hour. Drain and cover with two quarts of fresh water, then bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat so the beans merely simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for about an hour. The beans should be tender and fragrant. Bite into one to see if it’s cooked through. When they are tender, they’re ready to eat.

To make re-fried beans: Scoop up as many juicy beans as you want to use and put them in a large skillet. Add a little fat, if desired. Heat the beans and their juice over a medium-high flame while mashing them with a fork or potato masher. Add more bean juice as needed to keep the mixture moist. When the beans are hot and mashed, with a few beans chunks, they are done. Serve with cheese as a dip or stuffed into tortillas.

Tags | pinto beans, re-fried beans, storage foods