Seasoned Pinto Beans

 Seasoned pinto beans

1½ cups dried pinto beans

¾ pound hog jowl, finely chopped

1½ cups finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

½ cup finely chopped green pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup regular rice, uncooked

Hot sauce (optional)

Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water 2 inches above the beans; let soak overnight. Drain well. 

Combine beans, hog howl, onion, celery, green pepper, salt, and water to cover in Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 2½ hours.

Drain cooking liquid from beans. Measure 2 cups of cooking liquid; add back to beans. Discard remaining cooking liquid. (Water may be added to cooking liquid to equal 2 cups liquid, if needed.) Add rice, and stir well. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Serve with hot sauce, if desired. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.