The Clever Method That Draws Out The Most Flavor From Canned Beans

There's something so satisfying about pulling a meal together from items already sitting in your pantry, cupboard, or freezer. Usually, a meal like this begins with a can of beans. One easy way to turn them into a more satisfying dish is by spiking them with aromatic ingredients like garlic or hot sauce. Alternatively, you can mash up some pinto beans and create a quick restaurant-worthy refried bean dish. But many forget that taking the time to actually cook your canned beans is also a great way to upgrade flavor. In fact, braising may be one of the most clever ways of getting more out of your canned pintos, kidneys, and cannellinis.

Braising is a technique that combines dry and wet cooking, often an ideal method for cooking tougher, underrated cuts of beef. First, you'll fry or sauté some ingredients and brown the meat. Then, everything gets thrown into a pot with some liquid and is simmered for a few hours. Variations on this technique will transform canned beans from a fairly mundane staple into a sophisticated entree. The simmered beans become creamy and rich in a way that nearly approximates the texture of slowly cooked dried beans. As an added bonus, they absorb tons of flavor.

While this is a hack that may feel a bit more involved than adding a dash of spice to your beans, braising is actually pretty simple and elegant. The primary "work" is in the waiting and occasional stirring of the pan. Since the beans are already cooked, you're only braising for 30 or 40 minutes, not the hours it takes for oxtail. You'll have an easy, cozy dinner when you need something comforting without a lot of work. The beauty of this tip is its incredible versatility; any type of bean or liquid can be combined in a pot to create something delicious. 

First, you'll need to do the dry cooking by sautéing aromatics (onion, garlic) and searing raw meats (bacon, ham hock). Then, you'll add the beans and liquid. Olive oil works particularly well, but water, stock, and wine are all nice. Add spices and simmer on low heat until everything is cooked through. Alternatively, you can get fancy and bloom your spices by cooking them in hot oil before adding them to the mix. Simmer everything on the stove or stick your oven-safe pan in a preheated oven and bake. Beyond that, there aren't many places to stumble. Just don't let the liquid cook completely off (you can add more as needed) and don't boil anything, as simmering beans should take time.