FRIJOLES CHARROS Y FRIJOLES REFRITOS: TEX-MEX COWBOY BEANS

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Adapted from Texas Historic Inns Cookbook

Serves 6-8

Frijoles is the Spanish word for beans. Charros means cowboy. Frijoles charros, or cowboy beans, refers to a dish made from pinto beans which are boiled with lard, chili peppers, tomatoes, and garlic. Frijoles refritos are cowboy beans which are fried twice in lard and mashed. Both versions are staples in taquerias and Tex-Mex restaurants.

The most common way to eat either is as a side dish. They go with most anything. Serve them with eggs and tortillas, tacos, enchilladas, grilled steak, roast chicken, pork chops, or even fish. A bowl of charro beans also makes a great main dish. Just top it with crumbly Mexican cheese and a little pico de gallo and serve it with a slice of cornbread or tortillas and a green salad.

Like the name says, this is food for cowboys, Baby. Basic boiled beans can taste bland. Frijoles are anything but. Cooking them in salt pork or bacon gives them a smoky flavor and with the chilies, you can make them as spicy as you like. Cooking them is no big deal, but it takes some time.

Note: Some of you may be thinking that you can achieve this dish with a couple of cans of pinto beans and a can of Rotel with chilies. Wrong. In a pinch, that’s a great side dish to keep in your back pocket. This, however, is a horse of a different color. There is no short cut. Great flavor comes from cooking with fresh ingredients. Give it a try and see for yourself.

salt pork, garlic, a frozen roasted Hatch chili, and a tomato

For Frijoles

3 cups dried pinto beans

4 quarts water

1 cup salt pork, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped, with juice

1 poblano, 2 jalapenos, 1 Hatch, or 1-2 serranos, depending on your taste, seeded roasted, and chopped

For Frijoles Refritos:

1/4 cup salt pork, finely chopped or 4 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup tomato puree

1 Tbsp Ancho chili powder (optional)

Frijoles Charros/Cowboy Beans

1. DAY 1: PREP BEANS: Rinse beans and remove any rocks or debris. Place in a large bowl, cover with water, and let soak overnight.

2. DAY 2: COOK BEANS: Drain beans and rinse. In a deep skillet, saute salt pork over MEDIUM heat until the fat is rendered and the pork is crisp. Add garlic and tomato and stir 1-2 more minutes. Add beans. Add enough water to cover the beans. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. When it reaches a boil, turn heat down so that the beans simmer. Cook 1 1/2 hours. Check every once and awhile to make sure the beans are still covered with water. If they are not, add 1 cup of water at a time until they are. Cover and continue cooking until beans are tender but not mushy. Stir in the chilies. Cook uncovered until most but not all of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Serve warm.

Frijoles Refritos/Refried Beans

Note: Oftentimes, refried beans are made from leftovers. The amount of fat called for in the recipe assumes that you are refrying the whole batch. If you are not, adjust accordingly. It’s more a matter of taste than any magic formula. If you are watching your fat, feel free to refry the beans in a non-stick pan without any additional fat.

3. TO MAKE FRIJOLES REFRITOS: FRY THE BEANS: Drain the cowboy beans of any liquid. Reserve the liquid. In a skillet, over MEDIUM heat, saute the salt pork until the fat is rendered. Remove the crispy pieces with a slotted spoon. Add the beans. As the beans cook in the fat, mash them with a fork. Add the reserved liquid, a few tablespoons at a time. Cook until the liquid has evaporated before adding more. You want to achieve a smooth, silky texture, so add as much liquid as you need. Cool. Refrigerate overnight.

4. DAY 3: REFRY THE BEANS: In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp oil or lard. When oil is hot, saute onion until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomato puree and chili powder and stir to combine. Add the refried beans and cook just until heated through. Serve with Mexican cheese and chopped cilantro.

Peace and love from my kitchen to yours,

Waverly