Slow-Cooker Baked Beans With Chorizo and Lime

Beans stewed with pork, tomato and something sweet is a traditional side dish at potlucks. This easy slow-cooker version is uncommonly kicky and bright, flavored with spiced Mexican-style chorizo, cilantro and lots of lime juice. Use cooked, smoked or cured chorizo, but don’t use dry-cured Spanish-style chorizo, which is a different kind of sausage altogether. There’s flexibility built into this recipe: If you like slightly sweet baked beans, use the larger amount of sugar. If you prefer a result that’s barely sweet, use the smaller amount. Likewise, the lime juice can be assertive or gentle, so use the larger or smaller amount to your taste. You may be tempted to add more liquid to the slow cooker, but resist the urge. The onion and sausage release liquid when cooking, so if you add more you will end up with bean soup instead of baked beans.

Ingredients

• 1

  pound dried pinto beans, soaked about 8 hours and drained (see Tip)

• 12 to 14

  ounces cooked, smoked or cured Mexican-style chorizo links, sliced into 1 1/2-inch chunks

• 1

  yellow or red onion, finely chopped

• 5

  large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2

  cups chicken broth or stock 

• 1

  cup canned tomato purée

• ¼ to ⅓

  cup packed light or dark brown sugar

• 2

  tablespoons unsalted butter 

• 1

  tablespoon tomato paste 

• 1

  teaspoon onion powder

• 1

  teaspoon garlic powder

• 1

  teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 1

  teaspoon ground cumin

• 1

  teaspoon paprika 

• Kosher salt and black pepper 

• 2 to 3

  tablespoons lime juice (from about 2 limes) 

• ½

  cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

• Vinegary hot sauce, for serving 

Preparation

1. In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the soaked beans, chorizo, onion, garlic, chicken broth, tomato purée, sugar, butter, tomato paste, onion and garlic powders, red-pepper flakes, cumin and paprika. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or 2 1/2 teaspoons if using unsalted stock) and a generous amount of black pepper. Using a spatula, stir well to combine, then smooth the top of the mixture to submerge as many beans as possible. (It’s OK if some poke out of the liquid.) Cover and cook on high until the beans are very tender, about 6 hours. 
2. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Taste, and add more salt or pepper if desired. Serve with hot sauce.