Cuban Black Beans in the Crockpot
Hubby loves to cook some of the Cuban foods he grew up eating. We eat rice and beans on a regular basis. He never makes black beans and I decided to give this recipe a shot. Since we don’t have a pressure cooker, I adapted the original recipe for the crockpot. Most crockpot recipes really can be cooked all day. This isn’t one of those recipes. If you let it cook all day, the beans will become mushy.
The Sazon completa (aka Complete Seasoning) is necessary to bring out the flavor of the beans. It really makes this dish. You can probably find it near the Spanish foods at your grocery store. Ours sells little packets of the seasoning which is perfect.
One Year Ago: Banana Split Cupcakes
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Cuban Black Beans – adapted from Mrs Regueiro’s Plate – serves 8
Printable Recipe
1 pound dried black beans
8 cups water
2 Tbsp olive oil
6 slices of good-quality bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil for sautéing
1 Tbsp Sazon completa
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 bay leaf
1/2 cup dry cooking wine
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pick over the beans carefully and rinse well. Combine dried black beans with water in crockpot. Cover and let stand overnight. Make sure the water is covering the beans.
The next day, cook the beans on low for 4 hours.
Prepare the sofrito: Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a medium-heat frying pan and sauté the bacon slices until par-crispy. Then remove the bacon and add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until translucent and add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional minute. Season with salt and pepper.
When the beans have cooled slightly, add the sofrito, bacon pieces, cumin, sazon complete, vinegar, cooking wine, baking soda and bay leaves. Cook on low heat for another hour, stirring occasionally. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the bay leaves & garnish with chopped cilantro and serve the frijoles negros over white rice.
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I LOVE beans. I so want to try that spice too! I wonder if Penzeys has it? Otherwise I wouldn’t know where to go. I’ll have to figure that one out. This looks like a recipe that I would LOVE!
Sounds delicious. My husband is obsessed with black beans so I’m sure he’d love this simple meal. Perfect for a busy weekend day (at home)!
Sorry to sound dumb but what is Sofrito – how do you prepare it?
Recipe sounds wonderful. Some of the best Cuban food I have eaten was in Ibor City in Tampa. Yummy
Debbie, if you have a Super Walmart in your area, they are carrying a whole line of hispanic foods and spices. I know I am going to check there..
Thanks
Phyllis
SweetSouthernGal
Phyllis – The instructions that follow Prepare the sofrito are how you do it. I have updated the recipe to be more clear.
Debbi – I get mine at Stop and Shop. I’m not sure if Penzeys would have it. If you can’t find it, I can send you a small packet.
Oh yum, I wish my husband would eat beans. I think I’ll make these next time he goes out of town.
These look delicious. Being Latina myself, rice and beans were an everyday thing when I ws growing up too. Black beans were my favorite.
Ahhh, it looks fantastic Jen! This picture makes it look so fabulous!
Sofrito – is just a term for the bell peppers/onions and garlic – it’s the cuban trinity of cooking!
Penzeys – doesn’t carry this spice. But I’m pretty sure Badia (the maker) can be found on Amazon.com, too!
YUM and YUM…my MIL would be so proud of you!
These look great! I love Cuban food
I have to see if I can find such beans somewhere her in Greece.