L.A. Hearne Fresh Heirloom Pinquito Beans: The little bean with the BIG history

 You know us—we're borderline obsessive about our ingredients. We've told you about our cornmeal ground to order by a family run mill, and today we're spilling the beans (literally) on another ingredient that's close to our hearts: L.A. Hearne's fresh heirloom pinquito beans.

These little pink gems are loaded with California history and have been quietly stealing the show at BBQ joints across the state for generations. We source our pinquitos from L.A. Hearne Company, because when you're researching not just the best meats, but every-single-ingredient, you don't settle.

Ranch Style Beans, photo by Nader Khouri photography

What Are Pinquito Beans? The California Heirloom Behind Santa Maria BBQ

Pinquito beans are a cross between a pink bean and a small white bean, and their story is as mysterious as it is delicious. Some say the beans were given as a gift by a Mexican vaquero to one of the early Swiss-Italian settlers. Others contend that a woman brought several plants with her when she migrated to the area from Europe. Whatever their origin story, these beans found their home in California's Santa Maria Valley and became an essential component of the traditional Santa Maria Style Barbecue menu.

Here's what makes pinquitos special: The fresh Santa Maria Pinquitos do not need to be soaked overnight and have a superior pot likker and stay somewhat firm. Translation? They don't turn to mush when you cook them low and slow, and they create this incredible, rich broth that's basically liquid gold for BBQ.

BBQ Beans History: How Native American Traditions Shaped Modern Barbecue

Let's take a quick trip down memory lane…The story of American barbecue traces back to Indigenous traditions, where Native Americans cooked meat low and slow over indirect flame, and Europeans saw these techniques and modified them.

The first indigenous tribes had developed a unique method for cooking meat over an indirect flame, created using green wood—the original barbecue, or "barbacoa." They used onions, garlic and chiles for their ranch style beans and vaqueros (or cowboys) tended to make these hence giving them the name “Cowboy” or “Ranch” style beans.

Why Choose L.A. Hearne Company for Premium Heirloom Beans

L.A. Hearne Company is the largest shipper of canning quality Large Lima Beans in the world, but they're so much more than that. These folks have been in the bean business for generations, and they handle everything from Large Lima Beans for canning, to Baby Lima, Garbanzo, King City Pink, Pinto, Pinquito, Peruanos, Seed Beans for planting, and more.

L.A. Hearne Company logo, from L.A. Hearne

This family-owned and operated company has been perfecting their craft since 1938—that's 87 years of bean expertise. They clean, store and market high quality dry beans. Their beans come from growers in the Coastal valleys of California from Morgan Hill in the north to Camarillo in the south. They separate the beans by size, density, texture, and color and remove those with visual defects. This isn't just bean sorting—it's bean curation.

When we started Pig in a Pickle, we could have gone with any supplier. We pride ourselves on working from a place of integrity and are fully transparent in every detail of our operation. That means fresh heirloom pinquito beans from people who know what they're doing and care about each individual bean like we care for each individual ingredient of our operation.

L.A. Hearne Company harvesting beans, photo from L.A.Hearne

Fresh Beans: Why Quality Ingredients Matter at Pig in a Pickle

At Pig in a Pickle, there is no soaking overnight- because there is no need with fresh pinquito beans. We make what we call Ranch Style Beans—savory not sweet, sometimes called Cowboy Beans. Traditionally they were seasoned with garlic and onions and we add roasted Pasilla chiles (mild to medium heat) and herbs and spices.

The combination of L.A. Hearne's superior pinquitos with our roasted Pasilla chiles creates a depth of flavor that's both earthy and complex. The beauty of starting with quality ingredients is that you can keep it simple and our Ranch Style Beans are one of two of our vegan offerings.

Experience Authentic BBQ with Heirloom Pinquito Beans

We take every-single-ingredient seriously, and that includes our pinquitos. When you order a side of beans, our chili or any dish featuring these little California treasures, you're tasting history. You're tasting the dedication of L.A. Hearne's farmers and bean curatives. You're tasting our commitment to obsessively high standards, and meticulously sourced ingredients.

Because at the end of the day, BBQ isn't just about the meat—it's about the whole experience. It's about honoring traditions while evolving for today's table. It's about food being about gathering and spending time with friends and family, and we believe everyone deserves high-quality ingredients, whether you're eating our brisket, cornbread, pickles or our beans.

So the next time you're at one of our locations and you taste those pinquitos, remember: you're not just eating beans. You're eating California history, BBQ tradition, and our borderline obsessive commitment to doing things the right way.

Because that's what we do here at Pig in a Pickle—cook slow, serve fast, and never compromise on what goes into our food.

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Visit us at our Corte Madera or Emeryville locations to taste the difference that fresh, heirloom ingredients make. Trust us—your taste buds will thank you. Also contact catering for any upcoming events that require meticulously sourced BBQ for your festive spread.

Written by KP @KPCopy