1cupdried tepary beansor your favorite bean (I used Ramonas black tepary beans)
1medium oniondiced ¼ inch
1large clove garlicfinely chopped
4cupswater
2ozchunk of smoked meatcut into small cubes or left whole (optional, you can also use a smoked ham bone, etc)
A small handful (5-6 3-4 inch leaves) of dried or fresh sweetfern leaves wrapped in cheesecloth for easy removal
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepperto taste
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into a pot, put in the oven at 250F and cook for 4-5 hours, or until the beans are tender and taste good to you. After an hour, remove the sweetfern and discard. Other, more common beans will cook quicker than tepary beans, which are notorious for taking a long time to cook.
Alternately, you can simmer the beans on the stovetop. Whatever method you choose, make sure to check on them from time to time to make sure the beans are covered with a layer of water so they don't dry out, which can cause them to split.
When the beans are tender, season the mixture to taste with salt, and serve as a simple side dish or a rustic soup with a dollop of sour cream, cheese, chopped scallions, cilantro, etc.
Notes
Many different beans can be used instead of tepary beans. Feel free to choose your favorite kind.