Refried Beans

In this recipe I use a pressure cooker to cook my pinto beans. I highly recommend that everyone go out and get a pressure cooker! Be certain to read the instruction manual that comes with your cooker VERY careful. They are great time saver and a healthy way to cook, but they can be dangerous. So, please be careful. Also, if you have an older cooker make certain it can cook dry beans before proceeding with this recipe...some really old ones cannot.

For the Soak:
2 cups dry pinto beans
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salt
water

For the Cooking:
2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
water

For the re frying:
1 tablespoon oil
1 clove minced garlic

1. Place your beans to soak the night before in the cooker. Cover beans with just enough water to cover. Add the oil and salt. Let beans sit overnight. You do not need to cover the beans while the soak, but if you have curious pets you may want to.
2. The next day, drain the water and rinse the beans. Clean you cooker and return it to the stove
3. Return the beans to the cooker and add the broth. To the broth and beans add enough water to the liquid level to the mark indicated by your cookers instruction manual. This is very important...you must have just enough liquid! To this add the onion powder, garlic powder and chili powder.
4. Following your cookers instruction manual place your lid on your cooker. Make certain it is on properly and tightly. Place the regulator on top. Now your instruction manual should have a list of cooking times for different foods. Please check that list against my cooking times as your appliance may be different from mine. For my cooker I put the cooker on medium heat until the regulator begins to rock gently. Once that rocking begins I start my time and I cook the beans for 25 minutes. If the rocker starts going too quickly turn down your heat.
5. When your 25 minutes is up remove your cooker from the heat (use caution...it will be hot and heavy)and allow the pressure to reduce on its own. See your cookers manual for what this will look like in your cooker.
6. Once the pressure comes down all the way your beans are ready to eat. You can eat them whole or re fry them.
7. To re fry your beans, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet. Add garlic and diced onion to taste and cook until translucent. Add your beans and simply mush them with the back of a spoon or a potato masher until you achieve the desired consistency.