660 minutes
A hearty and flavorful Cuban dish combining savory black beans with fragrant rice, perfect for a comforting meal.
to taste
Dried Black Beans, picked over and rinsed
cups
cups
cups
Green Bell Peppers, halved, stemmed, and seeded
each
Large Onion, halved at the equator and peeled, root end left intact
each
Garlic, 5 cloves minced, rest of head halved at equator with skin left intact
head
each
Long Grain White Rice
cups
tablespoons
Lean Salt Pork, cut into 0.25-inch dice
0 oz
teaspoons
Fresh Oregano, minced
tablespoons
tablespoons
Scallions, sliced thin
each
Lime Wedges
each
1. Soak the Black Beans
Place the black beans in a bowl filled with salted water and let them soak for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. If you're in a hurry, a quick-soak for an hour works too.
2. Simmer the Beans
Preheat your oven to a low setting. Drain and rinse the soaked beans, then add them to a large Dutch oven along with chicken broth, water, half of a green bell pepper, half of an onion, a halved garlic head, and bay leaves. Bring this mixture to a simmer and let it cook until the beans are just tender.
3. Rinse the Rice
Rinse the rice under cold water using a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear. This step removes excess starch, which helps keep the rice from becoming too sticky.
4. Sauté the Vegetables
In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining green bell pepper, onion, and minced garlic. Sauté these vegetables until they are softened and the onions are translucent.
5. Combine and Cook
Once the vegetables are ready, combine them with the bean mixture. Add the diced salt pork, ground cumin, and minced fresh oregano. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to your preheated oven. Cook until both the beans and rice are tender, making sure to occasionally check for doneness.
6. Finish and Serve
When everything is cooked to perfection, remove the pot from the oven. Stir in red wine vinegar to brighten up the flavors. Top the dish with thinly sliced scallions for a fresh, crisp contrast. Serve alongside lime wedges for an extra zesty kick.
Opt for high-quality dried black beans and a long-grain variety of rice like Basmati or Jasmine to ensure the best flavor and texture in your dish.
Start with a sofrito of finely chopped onions, bell peppers, and garlic, cooking slowly to develop a sweet and tender base before adding spices and beans.
Soaking black beans overnight will reduce cooking time, help them cook more evenly, and make them more digestible, enhancing the final texture of the beans.
Essential to Cuban cuisine, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves should be toasted briefly to maximize flavor before adding them to the dish.
Salt the beans well in increments and taste as you go, and add a splash of vinegar at the end to brighten up the flavors.
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