Ag 101: The Pinto Bean

Ok, I just got done hauling pinto
beans for 8 hours for my brother's farm.
Being the curious person I am, I had to
know exactly what pinto beans are used
for and why it is a marketable product.
All you (and I) need to know about
the pinto bean from Wikipedia.
There's even a recipe for you on the bottom
of this post.


Pinto or mottled beans
Pinto beans
The pinto bean (Spanish: frijol pinto, literally "painted bean") is named for its mottled skin (compare pinto horse), hence it is a type of mottled bean.
It is the most common bean in the United States [1] and northwestern Mexico [2], and is most often eaten whole in broth or mashed and refried. Either whole or mashed, it is a common filling for burritos. The young pods may also be used as green beans.
In the Southwest United States, the pinto bean is an important symbol of regional identity, especially among Mexican Americans. Along with the chile, it is one of the official state vegetables of New Mexico (under the name frijol). Pinto bean varieties include:
Sierra
Burke
Othello
Maverick
Another popular mottled bean is the anasazi.

Beef, Rice and Bean Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound dry pinto beans
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound lean ground beef
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8 ounces) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 to 6 strips of bacon
PREPARATION:
Wash beans and place in a 4-quart, covered Dutch oven. Cover with water and cook until tender, adding more hot water as needed. Add rice and cook until rice is tender. In a skillet heat oil, add ground beef, salt, onion, and pepper. Cook until ground beef is no longer pink, then add to beans and rice. Add tomato sauce and chili powder. Mix well and put ground beef and bean and rice mixture in a 2-quart casserole or baking dish. Place strips of bacon over top and bake at 350° for 30 to 45 minutes, or until bacon is browned. Pinto bean and ground beef casserole serves 6.