Wineman Family Beans – The Branding Staple

Santa Maria Style Beans are a common known staple across the country. It has become the official side to “Tri-Tip” cooked over an oak pit. Don’t get any of the people I know in the argument about how Top Block (aka Top Sirloin) is the actual meat defined by Santa Maria Style and good lord help you if you get them started on who makes the best beans. To clarify – Pinquito Beans – a small pink bean that is actually grown specifically in our region. Every restaurant and family has a different version of how they cook these little gems and in my opinion they are all good but today I thought I’d share ours – the Wineman Family’s Pinquito Beans! It took quite awhile to get an actual written recipe on paper after years of watching my grandma Peggie and my great aunt Boo stir those boiling pots. Now believe me when I tell you I get these by the SACK every year and it stands strong in the corner of my kitchen until the end of the year until I have to start shaking the bag to get the last of them into the pot. Give them a try, many major grocery stores carry them in their dry sections or I learned today you can order them from Amazon!

Wineman Family Pinquito Beans

1. Clean the dry beans and throw them in a large stock pot. No need to soak, just rinse and go.
2. Cook diced bacon in a small frying pan.
3. While bacon cooks throw in ham hock/bone, onions, tomato sauce, garlic and dry ingredients EXCEPT salt in with the dry beans.
4. Cover the entire contents of pot with water.
5. On Medium High bring contents of pot to a rolling boil.
6. When bacon is crispy add it and the grease from the frying pan to the bean pot.
7. Once the pot is a rolling boil turn heat to medium and stir often making sure beans do not stick to the bottom.
8. ADDITIONAL WATER will need to be added often in the beginning as the beans swell quickly, don’t feel like you are adding too much, if beans start to stick on the bottom ADD WATER. You will add less as you get to the half way point.
9. Boil/Simmer beans for 4-6 hours stirring often until beans are tender. You can reduce the temperature enough to keep a slow boil/simmer.
10. Add salt after beans are done and taste test. Adjust seasonings as needed.

Variations of this recipe are endless! Add more or less Chili Powder – I prefer them spicy, add a can of diced green chiles, add more bacon, add fire roasted diced tomatoes, throw in a diced Jalapeno or Serrano. I have done them all and love them all in their own way. Serving is another “dealer’s choice” in this recipe. As a side to BBQ they are amazing but they also stand alone with a thick slice of garlic bread and the leftovers freeze and reheat well! Toppings can be anything you want from sour cream to salsa to nothing – it is all up to you!

What is your favorite BBQ side or branding treat? My other favorite will forever be my mom’s deviled eggs and the Wineman Potato Salad! Share your faves, nothing like good friends and food to get us by!