Texan cuisine is incomplete without Ranch Style Beans. You simply cannot perfect a barbecue without these. But, unfortunately, the ingredients involved are not available all the time and everywhere. So how about finding the best Ranch Style Beans substitute?
Can you substitute chili beans for Ranch Style beans? What about Pinto Beans? The answer is YES and YES. Plus, more! Let’s find out what these substitute ingredients are below.
Contents
Best Ranch Style Beans Substitute
Why Are Ranch Style Beans So Special?
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It’s their unique flavor that makes the dish so popular. The word “Ranch” here means a combination of different ingredients.
- Tomatoes
- Oregano
- Pinto beans
- Chili
- Sweetener
- Cumin
- Onion and garlic
- Stock
- Salt and pepper
This ingredients list seems a bit daunting. Because it’s not easy, and sometimes even possible, to find everything! But such a long list also makes room for a lot of substitution. And that means many possibilities. Sounds great, doesn’t it?
Ranch Style Beans Substitute: Top 9 Ingredients
Now that you understand what are Ranch Style Beans, it’s time to get to know all about the substitutes. I have broken down the original recipe into basic ingredients. And I have listed a replacement for each ingredient. So you can prepare your Ranch Style Beans anytime, anywhere!
1 Tomatoes
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The health benefits of tomatoes cannot be challenged. So there’s not much I have to say about this Ranch Style Beans substitute.
The vegetable has been a part of every kitchen for many, many years now. And not just in one form. There are fresh tomatoes, dried tomatoes, and canned tomatoes. But it’s possible, even though rarely, for this fresh heart health boosting vegetable to not be available. So what do you do at such times? The answer is quite simple. Instead, you opt for tomato sauce.
But when using tomato sauce, keep the sweetness in mind. The level of sweetness in tomato sauce varies. When it’s too sweet, make sure that you don’t use a lot of sweeteners.
2 Pinto Beans
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There’s no denying that every bean offers a unique flavor and texture. The kind that plays a crucial role in the recipe! So it’s important to select the most suitable substitute bean.
Pinto beans are a huge part of every delicious Ranch Style Beans recipe. And the only beans that come close to their distinctive texture and flavor are kidney beans. Particularly the light red ones! The dark red type is also acceptable. But it’s the former that is more comparable to Pinto beans.
3 Sweetener
The Ranch Style Beans ingredients list includes molasses or brown sugar as the sweetener. For both beans and barbecue sauce!
Molasses has a stronger flavor than brown sugar. In fact, molasses is also higher in terms of nutritional value. It contains tons of vitamins, minerals, iron, and potassium.
But brown sugar is a lot sweeter than molasses. Even though less nutritious!
So it all boils down to your personal taste. If you prefer a stronger flavor, I would suggest you pick molasses.
4 Chili
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Ranch Style Beans vs Chili Beans; the topic at hand!
The current market is flooded with different chili varieties. Each type yields an exceptional flavor as a Ranch Style Beans substitute. So for the real essence, nothing works better than smoky flavored chili. Such as Chile Guajillo, Chile California, or Chili Ancho. In whole, powdered, or dried form!
In the case of whole chilies, soak and steam them in water. Then remove the seeds to prevent the beans from becoming too spicy.
And if these chilies are not at your disposal, opt for enchilada sauce or red chili sauce. These two are excellent alternatives. But consider them as your last resort. Although it’s impossible to not find powdered chili. As this common ingredient is available almost everywhere.
Another great recommendation is paprika. But the smoky, spicy type! Not the sweet kind, which tends to ruin food quality.
5 Onion and Garlic
Onion and garlic are rich in sulfur compounds. And that makes them a great addition to sauces. Both onion and garlic come in a huge variety. This means you can get them in chopped, caramelized, roasted, powdered, or fresh form. The benefits stay the same, just the flavor differs.
From where I see it, fresh garlic and onion are almost always outstanding. Just make sure that you separate them in the beginning. Add the ingredients to the recipe slowly. In order to have more control over the proportion.
6 Cumin
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A little bit of cumin goes a long way in making every dish a smoky delight. Cumin comes from the family of parsley. It originates from the Mediterranean and Asian areas. No wonder the ingredient is so popular in Mexican and Indian cuisines!
But this doesn’t negate the fact that cumin is difficult to find sometimes. And since it’s one of the most important ingredients in Ranch Style Beans, you have to substitute it wisely. So I would propose using coriander powder and caraway seeds instead.
7 Stock
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This particular ingredient is considered to be the best seasoning base when preparing soups and sauces. Stock comes from cooking down meat, bones, and vegetables. Am I right? So it’s a bit difficult to find an appropriate Ranch Style Beans substitute for stock.
Based on the original recipe, chicken and beef stock work like a charm. But you can even try creating another type of stock with ham hock. To add more depth in this sauce, feel free to bring in bacon fat chunks. These you can remove right before eating.
8 Oregano
Cumin and oregano have something in common. Both ingredients are quite popular in most cultures. Even so, oregano’s distinctive flavor makes the task of hunting it down worthwhile. After all, it’s Italian cuisine’s classic herb!
So what is the most suitable Ranch Style Beans substitute for oregano? The answer is basil or thyme. But keep in mind that the essence of both cumin and oregano cannot be replaced. No matter how great the alternative!
9 Salt and Pepper
This one’s not compulsory. Salt and pepper seasoning is always optional. It depends on your personal taste and preferences.
My advice to you would be to taste the final sauce before you decide to add pepper and salt. And if you do, please make sure that you don’t go overboard.
Skipping it altogether is not such a bad idea either. There are already too many ingredients and flavors in there waiting to satisfy your taste buds.
Final Note
Congratulations, you’re well on your way to preparing the delicious Ranch Style Beans. With the original or substitute ingredients!
You might opt for the traditional way to cook them. That is on a campfire in a pot! Or the modern way, which means using the stove top or slow cooker. There’s no right method here. Go with whatever’s the most convenient to you. Just keep in mind that the process takes as long as 12 hours. Irrespective of the cooking method! And if you use the canned version of chili sauce and beans, you’ll be saving some time.
So I hope you get to enjoy the true essence of this Texan cuisine.
Ranch Style Beans Recipe
If you have any helpful tips regarding the ingredients or recipe to share with us, please do so. Your feedback is always welcome.
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