Brazilian Black Beans With Bacon (No Sazón Needed)

Equipment

pressure cooker/instant pot
cutting board
blender or immersion Blender + Cup
Ladle

Ingredients

2 cups dry black beans
5½ cups water
4 slices bacon chopped
1 smoked farmers sausage sliced (optional)
15 cloves garlic minced
½ onion left whole
1 Roma tomato left whole
1 small potato smaller than a fist, peeled and left whole
2 bay leaves dry
½ orange for juice
salt to taste
parsley and/or green onions

Instructions

SORT & SOAK: Pick through your dry beans and toss out any tiny stones or shriveled bits. Rinse them well, put them in a big bowl, and cover them with plenty of water for 12 hours. About halfway through, drain the water and refill it with fresh water—this "re-soak" makes them much easier to digest! When you're ready to cook, dump the soaking water and give them one last rinse.
2 cups dry black beans
Set your pressure cooker to Sauté. Fry the bacon until it’s nice and crispy, then scoop it out and set it aside. Do the same with the sausage, browning it in the bacon fat before setting it aside too.
4 slices bacon, 1 smoked farmers sausage
Toss the garlic into that flavorful fat and cook until it’s golden and smells amazing (Just don't burn the garlic!). Quick tip: Pour in a tiny splash of water and use a wooden spoon to scrape any stuck bits off the bottom of the pot. This keeps your pressure cooker from giving you a "Burn" warning later!
15 cloves garlic
Put the bacon and sausage back in. Add the beans, 6 cups of water, the onion, tomato, potato, and bay leaves. Seal it up and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing remaining pressure and opening the lid.
5½ cups water, ½ onion, 1 Roma tomato, 1 small potato, 2 bay leaves
Fish out the bay leaves and toss them. Take out the softened onion, tomato, and potato and put them in a blender with one or two scoops of the bean broth. Blend until smooth and stir that creamy mixture back into the pot.
Season to taste. Add your salt a little at a time, tasting as you go. Then, do the same with the orange juice—add a squeeze, taste it, and add more until the flavors really "pop." Let it simmer for 5 minutes so everything comes together, and finish with a handful of fresh chopped parsley. and/or green onions
½ orange, salt to taste, parsley and/or green onions

Notes

1. Stovetop Adaptation (Regular Pot)

If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can still achieve incredible results with a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven):

Water Ratio: Increase the water from 6 cups to 8 or 9 cups. Because the pot isn't sealed, you will lose a significant amount of liquid to evaporation.
Cooking Time: Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours.
Consistency: Check the beans every 30 minutes. If the water level drops below the beans, add a splash of boiling water to keep them submerged.

2. The "Age of the Bean" Factor

Not all dry beans are created equal. The older a bean is, the tougher its skin becomes:

Fresh Dry Beans: If your beans were harvested recently, they may cook in the pressure cooker in as little as 20–25 minutes.
Old Stock: If your beans have been sitting in the pantry for over a year, they may stay "crunchy" even after 30 minutes. If this happens, simply seal the lid and pressure cook for another 5–10 minutes.

3. The Pressure Cooker "Burn" Warning

Electric pressure cookers (like Instant Pots) have a sensor at the bottom.

The Culprit: Tiny bits of bacon or garlic stuck to the stainless steel.
The Fix: After sautéing your meats, you must deglaze. Pour in a 1/4 cup of water and use your wooden spoon to scrape the bottom until it feels completely smooth. If you skip this, the machine will likely give you an error and stop cooking.

4. The Orange & Tomato "Science"

Why the Orange?It mimics the "zing" of Sazón without the chemicals.
Why the Tomato? Tomatoes are packed with natural glutamates (umami). It adds a savory depth that makes the beans more flavorful

5. Nutritional Disclaimer

Estimates Only: Any nutritional information or calorie counts provided are estimates. Actual values will vary based on the fat content of your bacon, the specific brand and type of sausage, and the size of your potato and tomato.

6. Storage & Freezing

The "Bean Brick": These stay fresh in the fridge up to 3 days.
Freezing: Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
When reheating, the broth will be very thick; add a splash of water to bring it back to that perfect caldo consistency.

Nutrition