Red Beans in Putxera

Name: Red Beans in Putxera
Total time: 16200 s
Yield: Serves 10-12 servings
Ingredients: 4 1/2 lbs red beans (do not soak unless the skins are very tough); 2 1/4 lbs pork ribs; 4-5 chorizo sausages, depending on size; 5-6 pieces pork belly, also depending on size; 3 blood sausages (morcilla); 1 onion; 5 cloves garlic; 2 dried choricero peppers; 1 leek; 1 can crushed tomato (optional); 1-2 carrots (optional); Salt; Olive oil

Alberto @luisalbertocook

Portugalete

Red Beans in Putxera

Alberto @luisalbertocook

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Ingredients

4 hours plus 30 minutes resting

Serves 10-12 servings

4 1/2 lbsred beans (do not soak unless the skins are very tough)
2 1/4 lbspork ribs
4-5chorizo sausages, depending on size
5-6 piecespork belly, also depending on size
3blood sausages (morcilla)
1onion
5 clovesgarlic
2dried choricero peppers
1leek
1 cancrushed tomato (optional)
1-2carrots (optional)
Salt
Olive oil

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Steps

4 hours plus 30 minutes resting

1

Light the putxera (traditional Spanish bean pot) with good quality charcoal that will last for 4 hours.
2

When the coals are ready, place the putxera with the beans and add enough water to completely cover them. Add the vegetables, either finely chopped or whole, as you prefer. I add them whole and remove them at the end (you can also use a mesh bag) because I don't like them in the final dish. Add a splash of olive oil and a little salt—not too much, as you can adjust at the end once all the flavors have come together.
3

Once it starts to boil, pour in some cold water to stop the boil (this helps the beans cook slowly and stay whole). Do this a couple of times. Keep an eye on it so the simmer stays very gentle throughout cooking; adjust the air vents on the putxera as needed to control the heat. Always keep the beans covered with water, adding more as necessary. KEEPING AN EYE ON IT DOES NOT MEAN OPENING THE POT EVERY 3 MINUTES!
4

When the beans are halfway cooked, about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours in, add the pork ribs, chorizo, and pork belly. To avoid making it too greasy, add only part of the meat now and cook the rest separately to add at the end without the extra fat. Some people cook all the meat separately, but that takes away a lot of flavor. Some of the fat should go into the pot for the best taste.
5

Add the blood sausages (morcilla) when the beans are almost done. If you cooked the ribs, chorizo, and pork belly separately, add them now. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. Skim off any excess fat from the surface with a spoon, let it rest for about half an hour, and enjoy!
6

It's important not to use spoons, skimmers, or any other utensils to stir the pot during cooking, as this can break the beans. The goal is to keep them whole and flavorful. To stir, gently swirl the pot by holding the handles and moving it in a circular motion—this also helps thicken the sauce.