Cooking Black Beans

There are several recipes on this blog using black beans in recipes - Black Bean Soup, Feijoada, Enchiladas, etc. - but today I just wanted to cook up some dried black beans to have them ready for some of those recipes (specifically Chipotle Bowls) and none of those seemed quite right. So, here's the recipe/method for cooking just the beans themselves. Today I felt like using the crock pot, but you could also use the stove or Instant Pot, just adjust the cooking time.

Black Beans

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon minced dried onion
• 1 tablespoon chicken base (or 3 bouillon cubes)

If desired, soak the beans overnight, then drain and add to the crock pot. (Otherwise, just rinse them and cook without soaking.) Add all the other ingredients and cook on high for 3 1/2 to 4 hours until soft. If desired, add 2 teaspoons of lime juice. Remove the bay leaves and serve as is or use in your favorite recipe.