Ingredients:
- 1 (1-pound) package Camellia Brand Pinto Beans
- 5 slices bacon, roughly chopped
- 1 small yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 8-10 cups water or broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Hot sauce to taste
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Directions:
- Rinse and sort beans.
- In a large heavy pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper-towel lined plate.
- To bacon drippings in pot, add onion, carrot and celery. Stir and cook about 5 minutes, till vegetables are soft. Add garlic, and cook another 1 minute.
- Add beans, water or broth, and bay leaf to pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covering the pot for 2 hours, or until beans are soft. Add more water or broth as needed.
- When beans are tender, remove bay leaf. Add hot sauce, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve topped with crumbled bacon.