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1
Rinse the beans, picking through them to remove any debris.
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2
Pour them into a bowl and add enough water to cover them by about 1 inch.
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3
Soak for at least 6 hours and preferably overnight.
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4
Pour the oil into a medium pot over medium heat.
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5
When it starts to shimmer, add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic.
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6
Cook until the vegetables start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
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7
Add the beans and their soaking liquid, and add more water as needed to cover by about 1 inch.
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8
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
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9
Reduce the heat to low or medium-low so that the liquid barely simmers, cover, and cook the beans until tender, 1 to 2 hours (or even longer, depending on the variety and age of the beans).
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10
Add the salt, and cook for another 10 or 20 minutes so that the beans absorb the salt.
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11
Taste, and add more salt if needed.
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12
Whatever youre not using immediately, cool to room temperature and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or portion into heavy-duty freezer-safe plastic bags and freeze for several months.
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13
Talk to Rancho Gordo owner Steve Sando about beans, and hell change the way you think about them.
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14
Buy his heirloom beans, and its hard to go back to supermarket varieties.
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15
Sandos beans differ from most supermarket beans by virtue of age: His beans are sold within a year of harvesting, while supermarket beans can be many years old.
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16
Age matters: The older the beans, the longer it takes to cook them.
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17
Besides being out-and-out delicious, Rancho Gordo beans also retain their shape wonderfully.
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18
If you dont want to wait for Steves beans to arrive by mail order, seek out other heirloom beans if possible, or buy them from a market that sells beans in bulk and replenishes the supply frequently.
