Steak & Pinto Beans (dairy, soy, tomato/tomatillo free)

• 2-3 leftover steaks, or 1lb stew meat (optional)

• 1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted

• 3-4 cups water or broth of choice

• 1 onion, finely diced

• 3-4 fresh garlic cloves, minced, or 2-3 large spoonfuls of jarlic

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

• Salt & ground black pepper to taste

If you aren’t using an Instant Pot, soak your beans using your favorite method (overnight, or by bringing to a boil and soaking in the just boiled water for one hour).

In your cooking pot or Instant Pot, sauté your onion in the oil or grease until it’s translucent. Add your garlic, and sauté until it starts to brown. Add the spices to the pot (except the liquid smoke), and sauté for 1-3 minutes, to warm the spices and infuse the oil/grease.

Slice your leftover steak into thin, bite-sized strips and add to the pot, or add your stew meat here and brown it up. Add your water or broth to the pot with the liquid smoke, and here is where you’ll use your own cooking method:

• If you’re using an Instant Pot, add your rinsed, un-soaked beans to the pot, seal the lid, and set to pressure cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Naturally steam release for 15-20 minutes at the end of the cook time. For this method, use 3 cups of liquid for cooked beans without a lot of liquid, 4 cups if you prefer a soupier bean.

• If you’re using a pot on the stovetop, drain your soaked beans, give them a rinse with fresh water, and add the soaked beans to your cook pot. For this method, you will likely want 4 cups of liquid or more, as you’ll lose more to condensation. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer or transfer to a crock pot, cover, and cook for 2 hours, or until your bean mixture is cooked through and creamy, while stirring the pot occasionally. Add more liquid during the cook time, if needed.

Serve the steak & beans with rice, over a baked potato, or with cornbread.

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