Frijoles Charros
Frijoles Charros or Charro Beans are made from bacon and other spices that are known to be very delicious. To prepare them, you simmer the beans in some broth full of flavor until the level of liquid reduces and thickens.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pinto beans dried
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 6 oz bacon diced
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 white or brown onion diced
- 2 jalapeno peppers minced
- 2 tsp garlic minced (4 cloves)
- 28 oz tomatoes diced cans (2)
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce diced
- 2 bay leaves
- cilantro
- 1 tbsp crunchy bacon bits
- 1 white onion diced
Instructions
- Take a large bowl and in it place the dried pinto beans then cover with water. Make sure you use enough water to have the beans submerged then allow it to soak for about four to eight hours. Drain the water then rinse the beans.
- Place a large pot over medium heat and in it add some diced bacon and then let it cook for between five to ten minutes. While it’s cooking, keep stirring it until the fat has been rendered and the bacon starts to become crisp around the edges.
- Into the mixture, add some onion and the jalapeno then cook for about five minutes. Stir it occasionally until the onions are translucent and start to become softer. Add some garlic to the mixture and then cook for close to thirty seconds until a nice fragrance can be smelt.
- Add into the mixture some tomatoes which you’ve already diced as well as the chipotle pepper then cook for between three to five minutes, ensuring that you occasionally stir it. Do this until the mixture starts to become thicker.
- Add the soaked pinto beans, some chicken stock and oregano then include the cumin, bay leaves and a good pinch of the sea salt. Turn the heat up to high then stir so that you combine the ingredients properly and allow them to boil. For simmering, reduce the heat. Cover the pot and then allow the mixture to slowly cook until the beans are slightly tender. This should take about forty minutes.
- Uncover the pot then turn up the heat. A medium-high heat should do the job great. Keep cooking it for between thirty-five to forty minutes until the beans are fully cooked. Make sure you stir in between until the liquid is thick enough.
- Season with some salt and then serve it with some fresh jalapenos, cilantro, the diced onions and crunchy bacon bits.