Name: Slow-Cooker Cuban-Style Black Beans
Total time: 9 h
Ingredients: 6 cups water , plus extra as needed; 1 pound dried black beans (2½ cups), picked over and rinsed; 1 (12-ounce) smoked ham hock , rinsed; 2 bay leaves; 1 onion , chopped fine; 1 green bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and minced; 6 garlic cloves , minced; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried; 1½ teaspoons ground cumin; 1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro; 1 tablespoon lime juice , plus extra for seasoning; Salt and pepper

Why This Recipe Works

Served at almost every meal, black beans are at the heart of Cuban cuisine. Prior testing left us confident in our method for cooking the beans in the slow cooker, so we turned our attention to building layers of flavor. Pork is commonly added to the beans for much-needed depth, so we began there. After trying bacon, ham, and a ham hock, we liked the smoky depth the ham hock gave the dish. Instead of adding aromatics to the beans at the start of cooking, we favored the custom of stirring a sofrito (typically sautéed onion, garlic, and green bell pepper) into the cooked beans instead. Microwaving the sofrito until the vegetables were tender saved us time and did not compromise flavor. This addition, along with minced cilantro and lime juice, provided a fresh layer of flavor without overwhelming the beans. Some recipes suggested pureeing the sofrito with some of the beans to thicken the sauce, but we preferred simply mashing the sofrito along with a portion of the beans and a little of the cooking liquid. The texture of these beans is typically looser than that achieved in other bean recipes.

Instructions

1. Combine water, beans, ham hock, and bay leaves in slow cooker. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 8 to 9 hours on high.

Transfer ham hock to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard fat, skin, and bones. Discard bay leaves.

Microwave onion, bell pepper, garlic, oil, oregano, and cumin in bowl, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.

Drain beans, reserving 1½ cups cooking liquid. Add vegetable mixture, one-third of beans, and reserved cooking liquid to now-empty slow cooker and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir in remaining beans, ham, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice to taste. Serve. (Beans can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours; adjust consistency with extra hot water as needed before serving.)