i made my weekly batch of beans and this time i went with pinto beans, which i havent made before, and green chilis. I opted to skip any meat as I’m short on cash (and also havent found things like TVP at my local grocers yet). They turned out ok, like they dont taste bad, but theyre missing something and I dont know what. The word I keep thinking of is bass but i dont really know what i mean by that foodwise. Umami?? How do I add more bass to my beans? mushrooms?
ingredients i used:
pinto beans
green chilis + onion + garlic
oregano, cumin, some chili powder, garlic powder, s&p
cooked in faux-chicken stock
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Not using enough salt is a common one, but it might also be umami - soy or worchestershire sauce will add both.
If you want to keep your beans vegan make sure you use worcestershire that’s vegan. Some brands aren’t.
Good point, I don’t think any brands of Worcestershire sauce are vegan, but there are vegan equivalents like Maggi seasoning sauce. Maggi’s also gluten free, which Worcestershire sauce isn’t.
Maybe that’s true. If you want to label it Worcestershire I guess there’s a specific list of ingredients.
If you can get miso paste and/or gochujang, they really unlock the umami and give the beans a lot of depth. Same with soy sauce or yeast extract (Maggi/vegemite/marmite), but to a less funky extent.
Add a bay leaf when cooking.
You can also use the Indian technique of tempering spices, ginger and chili powder in hot oil, and adding it after the beans are cooked. Adds a bit of freshness and variety to each bite, because they get covered in more or less aromatic oil.
Also add a splash of vinegar or lime juice after cooking, either when you turn the fire off or when serving. Really beautiful way to brighten the beans up.
Two things
Yes, mushroom powder is a wonderful ingredient. I use a sprinkle of it and a pinch of MSG in everything I cook if I can make it work
Are you blooming your spices in a little oil before you add anything else to the pot? It might not sound like it does much, but it really makes your spices that much more potent and flavorful
Hmmm I’ll need to try mushroom powder. Is the extra MSG necessary? I thought mushroom powder was basically MSG already
I did not do it this time, but yeah usually i saute aromatics then scooch them over and cook the spices in the pot for a while before adding the stock. very important for tomato paste and red pepper flakes i find
Mushrooms have glutamate like MSG, but they present differently
I find the dried mushrooms provide a nice little earthiness and funk, while the MSG is less about adding direct flavor and more about boosting the preexisting flavors that are present
You don’t necessarily want to go too heavy with either, but I find that a little bit of both really makes anything savory that just more so
:shroomjak: ty i’ll try those!
If you don’t feel like using msg you can buy kombu (it lasts forever and you only need a little piece each time) and lightly simmer it to make a dashi you then add to the beans when they’re nearly done cooking. Kombu is like msg central.
Mushrooms is good. I’ll +1 dried mushrooms (or presumably powder is the same thing).
I’d recommend smoked paprika (ideally a name brand, its one spice where it seems to make a big difference). Put it in all my beans all the time.
Experimentally, you could try seaweed. I chuck dried wakame in sometimes and it’s hella tasty and got umami. Might be too pricy though.
And are you putting fat in there? Oil/butter? VOO or similar make a big difference.
You’re missing fat in this recipe. Butter, vegan or otherwise, shortening, lard/tallow/schmaltz. I don’t think oil would do it since it tends to separate unless you made a roux. But yeah you need fat
Mfs out here really making weekly beans
This is a beanis themed community, and you will respect the legume.
MSG
You Take the beans. You Cook the beans. The beans will be good.
Panem depsticium sic facito… Farinam in mortarium indito, aquae paulatim addito, subigitoque pulchre. Ubi bene subegeris, defingito, coquitoque sub testu.
Put a ham bone or hamhock in while they cook. Maybe some whole bay leaves, and remove them before serving.
oh i used bay leaves too, forgot that. i actually might have a ham hock i forgot about in the freezer but the beans r already cooked so i dont know if cooking it up would help all that much after the fact. Unless i double cooked the beans - which i might, because they are a little starchy and probably needed maybe like, 30-45 more minutes on the stove.
If you like them thick, about half way through cooking, use a ladle to smash up some of the beans.
It makes them nice and pasty. Great for dipping cornbread in.
i love this trick, i do it for pretty much every recipe involving beans. Its so easy
It’s done in every Appalachian home. 🥰
Marmite would also do the trick if you want a beefy flavour
Salt the beans again. and then maybe a third time too.
Pintos are good w some achiote paste, salt pork /pork bone browned off and added to the mix, and a reconstituted guajillo buzzed up into a paste and added, IMO. Itll also taste better tomorrow, but you likely already know this. I usually let mine cook for half a day or longer on top of soaking overnight. You mentioned beef/meat which is why i mentioned salt pork. Otherwise you hit the usual suspects i use minus oregano. Some folks add cilantro to their pintos but i think that folks who do this probably werent bullied enough as a child or alternatively, were bullied too much as a child.
achiote paste
hadnt heard of this but it sounds great so i’ll try to get my hands on some. but i dont have a blender so can’t do the guajillo probably.
cilantro
damn i actually decided not to get any for the beans, but i should have… for the rice
Get some sofrito in there, which you can make yourself if you don’t want to buy it.
