Cooking & Baking
Related: About this forumMaking a pot of pinto beans without bacon-help
I want to find a substitute for bacon in my crockpot pinto beans. My usual go to is pintos, garlic, commercial salsa and 2 strips of bacon.
Turkey bacon does not work
Some liquid smoke? Liquid smoke **and**smokey paprika?
Help?
CrispyQ
(36,461 posts)I ruined an entire batch of split pea soup by adding LS before tasting it. I would add a tiny bit to a bowl & see if you like it first.
Hot smoked paprika - yum! Definitely add this.
hlthe2b
(102,236 posts)along with some chicken, but I think it smells and tastes like old ("off" ) hotdogs, so it must just be smoky flavoring. I found it inedible and threw it out.
I've found that to be the case with other products that include artificial bacon or smoke flavors.
The paprika seems like a good thing to try.
CrispyQ
(36,461 posts)Then I read that smoked paprika is so much more flavorful than regular. And someone on DU recommended this brand.
https://www.amazon.com/Dalia-Pimenton-Picante-Smoked-Paprika/dp/B004WOMFTY/ref=asc_df_B004WOMFTY/
There are smoked versions of both sweet & hot paprika. I've only had the hot.
The Magistrate
(95,247 posts)I would recommend an extra bit of oil in the pot, along with whatever smokey taste concoction you employ.
comradebillyboy
(10,144 posts)Tetrachloride
(7,839 posts)3. Brandon Meats pepper bacon. my familys butcher in Brandon, Wisconsin
Kafta spices from Penzeys or other import places
brewens
(13,582 posts)Kali
(55,007 posts)or smoked paprika. liquid is pretty potent, be careful if you try that. saute some onions in a little oil/fat of some kind too.
ratchiweenie
(7,754 posts)The Polack MSgt
(13,188 posts)If the impetus for getting rid of bacon is to make the dish vegetarian/vegan, I recommend using peanut oil.
Maybe it's my imagination but I think peanut oil gives a better mouthfeel than olive or corn oils and is a pretty neutral tasting fat
I also co-sign the smoked paprika rather than the liquid smoke. My preference is Hungarian for sweet and Spanish for hot.
If you're just over bacon but meat is still ok, find some smoked turkey tails.
One of those adds smoke, some fat and a bunch of gelatin which really helps mouthfeel - My wife uses these in every recipe in which she used to use hocks - Such as greens and white beans.
Another plus of cooking with with turkey butts is that they don't have that barnyard funk that hocks and knuckles have
ratchiweenie
(7,754 posts)fine and cooking them until they are almost burnt. Adds a lovely smokey flavor to beans, lentils (dahl), any vegetarian dish. Smokey paprika does as well so the two together really spice up the pot. They use whatever oil. Often peanut oil because you can get it so hot. I add a dash of sesame oil at the end to mine because I add a dash of sesame oil to almost everything.
Nanuke
(487 posts)I make vegetarian pinto beans all the time. I use Pennys smoked paprika and small (1 tsp) of dried onion soup mix. I also ad 1-2 Tsp butter and a pinch of brown sugar or 1/2 tsp molasses.
I have tried liquid smoke and did not like it.
Nanuke
(487 posts)AndyS
(14,559 posts)Hoosier Hill hickory smoke powder. 8 oz is about $15 and will last a lifetime. A word of caution, DO NOT open the container and stick your nose in for a sniff. You won't smell anything else all day. To test the aroma open the container, wave your hand over it to bring the scent to you.
msongs
(67,401 posts)Retrograde
(10,136 posts)Are you looking for a vegetarian version, or a less fatty version?
If you just want something different, try adding a ham bone in place of bacon: similar flavor, less fat. The hard part is finding a decent ham bone, other than buying a whole ham, which can be a problem for a small household. Chunks of ham will also work for your beans, as do bones from left-over ribs (cut the meat off or not as you want). A sausage or three would also be good (and if you add greens you're well on your way to a traditional Portuguese beans and greens soup).
Liquid smoke - a little goes a very long way! My own go-to for pintos is beans, onion, bay leaf, and maybe a chipotle for a little smokieness. I tend to make a large pot, then use the beans for other things later, so I don't want to put too much of a dominant flavor in at the beginning.
Lars39
(26,109 posts)I bought it as a joke, but it really does add the taste of bacon.
Marthe48
(16,949 posts)Working on lowering my cholesterol, thought beans would be good to eat.
I put a tablesoon of real butter in about 1 cup of dried beans. I added chopped onion, minced garlic, s&p. When they were about 30 minutes from being done, I added about 2/3 cups of frozen mixed veggies, and some spices I use in just about every meal I make (Badia Complete, paprika, and turmeric) I really liked how they turned out.
i don't know if you found a sub for bacon, but maybe you'd like the flavor of the beans on their own?
Ilsa
(61,694 posts)or fire-roasted tomatoes or something like to add more depth.