Cristy 24 hr 20 min. 60 min.

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Potaje de Frijoles Colorados – Red Bean

Prep Time: 24 hours, 20 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Potaje de Frijoles Colorados – Red Bean

Potaje is seriously good!!!! It's hearty, full of goodness and so comforting!

It's like a magical dish. When this is served in my house everyone eats it. No complaints. No fighting with the kids and constant supplications to please eat! A peaceful dinner. Of course, for the kids there's one more step to this recipe. Put a few ladles full into a food processor and pulse away...until it's like porridge. Hides all the goodies but the flavor and yumminess prevail. And boy do they gobble it up! Yes!

For everyone else serve with a scoop of white rice right in the middle of the bowl. I usually have it without any sides, it's that good.

Here's the catch...You'll need a pressure cooker, aaahhhhh!!! I've said it before, I'm terrified of these things, but, it cuts down on cooking time. I have a traditional pressure cooker, we're talking about 30+ years. The more modern ones are safer, I'm assuming, and easier to use, but, please be careful when handling one.

Yes, there's a lot of preparation time needed for this recipe, but, it's all well worth it!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry red beans (pinto or kidney)
  • 1/2 lb. cooking ham, diced
  • 1 medium ham hock
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 2 packets Sazón Goya
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 small bay leaf
  • 1 medium red potato, large dice
  • 1 medium carrot, diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste, the ham and Sazon have lots of salt

Instructions

  1. The night before put beans and ham hock to soak in a pressure cooker or other pot, although we will be using the pressure cooker for this dish, cover with water half way up the pot. Leave soaking overnight. If it dries out add more water making sure the beans are completely under water.
  2. The next day, turn on the heat to medium high. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and wait until steam is released from the vent pipe. Put the pressure regulator on the vent pipe. Continue cooking until the regulator starts to "jiggle" and you hear a hissing sound. From that moment lower the temperature to medium and let it cook for 40 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, cut onions, green pepper, garlic, carrots and potato. Set aside.
  4. Once the 40 minutes are up, remove pressure cooker from heat and let stand until the pressure dissipates....be careful, after a few minutes check the pressure regulator by moving it a little. If it still hisses wait a few more minutes.
  5. Open pressure cooker and, if needed, add more water to completely cover the beans, not more than half way up the pot.
  6. Add the onions, green pepper, garlic, carrots and potatoes to the beans.
  7. Add the Sazon packets, black pepper, cumin and the bay leaf.
  8. Put the lid back on and continue to cook, wait for steam to be released from the vent pipe, then put the pressure regulator on, wait for hissing, lower the temperature to medium and cook for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove from heat and carefully put in the sink and let water run over it to remove the pressure...you'll hear loud hissing, when it stops check the pressure regulator by moving it a little, if it still hisses wait a little and then proceed to open.
  10. Check for beans and vegetable tenderness. If they're tender it's done. If not, cook uncovered a few more minutes.
  11. As mentioned at the beginning of this post, you can alternatively ladle the stew into a food processor, pulse until porridge like and it's now kid-friendly! Here's how it will look...
https://cristysseriouseats.com/potaje-de-frijoles-colorados-red-bean-stew/