Preparation

Early in the day, rinse beans and pick out any stones or misshapen beans. Place beans in a large, heavy bottomed pot and add water. Cover and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes; turn off heat and allow beans to soak for 2–3 hours. When ready to continue, spray a nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray. Heat skillet and add onions. Cook onions over medium heat until wilted. Add onions to pot of soaked, undrained beans. Cover beans and bring to a boil. Add chili powder, tomato sauce, and garlic; cook for 1 hour. Check occasionally to see if there is enough liquid. This will depend on the size of the pot and the beans. Add just enough water to keep beans covered. They will swell as they cook, and the liquid will evaporate. Meanwhile, heat the same skillet and cook the ground beef until well browned. Add the meat to the pot of cooking beans and continue to cook over low heat for another hour or so, until the beans are soft and much of the liquid has cooked down. Serve with chopped onions, a little grated cheese, and corn bread.