Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)
Pinto beans are the most common choice for refried beans. A favorite in Southwest and Mexican dishes, these earthy beans have a delicious, creamy texture ideal for mashing and refrying. "Pinto" means "painted" in Spanish referring to the splash of color across the dried beans.
When most of us think of refried beans, it's the pinto bean version that comes to mind. If not pintos, black beans are the second most common choice—they're the bean of choice in Oaxaca, for example. Black beans are smaller than pintos, and, even when thoroughly cooked, have a firmer consistency. Depending on the tool you use to mash them, they can be a little harder to crush, partly because of their firmness, and partly because they're small. Black beans don't have the same sweet note that pintos do, but they still make delicious refried beans.
A few hundred years ago, Refried Beans were made from Mexican Pot Beans (Frijoles de Olla) mashed up and cooked in some fat, most likely lard. Plus maybe a bit of seasoning.
Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)
from https://www.mexicanplease.com/
1 can black beans (or pinto beans)
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
2 chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup stock (or water)
oil or lard
Start by peeling 2 garlic cloves and roughly chopping 1/2 onion. Cook the onion and garlic in a dollop of oil over medium heat (you can leave the garlic cloves whole).
Once the onion is starting to brown, approximately 5-8 minutes, add 1 can beans (drained and rinsed), 2 chipotles in adobo, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/2 cup stock (or water). Let simmer for a few minutes until heated through and then add everything to a blender, combining well.
Take a final taste for seasoning and heat. Add more salt if necessary and if you want more heat you can add more chipotles (or adobo sauce).
Serve as is or saute them in some oil (or lard!) over medium heat for a few minutes to thicken them up.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. (Keep in mind that beans don't last long so eat 'em up soon!)
Notes:
You can always adjust the consistency of the beans by either adding water to thin them out, or if they are too thin you can saute them in some oil over medium heat for a few minutes to thicken them up.
Refried Beans (Frijoles Refritos)
8 oz. dried pinto beans (1 1/4 cup)
2 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
Extra water
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. bacon fat or lard
Rinse the beans in water and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans.
Add the beans, 2 cups water, the onion and garlic to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes. Let stand 1 hour. (or soak beans in salted water overnight)
Add enough water to the beans to cover them with an inch or two of water. Add the salt and simmer until tender, about 2 1/2 hour, adding water if necessary. The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
Melt the bacon fat or lard in a cast iron frying pan over medium high heat. Transfer the beans to the pan and mash them as they cook. Stir in some of the cooking liquid if needed to keep the beans from getting too dried out. Add more salt to taste.
Variations: melt Cheddar cheese on top, use black beans instead of pinto beans, add chipotles and other seasonings, such as oregano and cumin.
