Refried Beans
beans with caramelized onion and chipotle
Ingredients
- 454 g dried pinto beans
- 2270 g water
- 10 g vegetable bouillon cube
- 4.5 g salt
- 45 g vegetable oil
- 227 g white onion
- 15 g garlic
- 30 g chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1.8 g ground cumin
Method
- Soak: Rinse the beans, cover generously with cold water, and soak overnight, 8–12 h. Drain and rinse.
- Cook: Cover the beans with fresh water, add the bouillon cube and salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until very tender, 1½–2 h, adding water as needed to keep the beans submerged. Reserve the bean liquid.
- Caramelize: Render the bacon or chorizo, if using, in a wide skillet, then transfer to a bowl. Heat the vegetable oil or lard in the skillet, using any pan drippings in place of some of the fat if desired. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until deeply browned and soft, 30–40 min. Add a splash of water if the browned bits begin to catch. Stir in the garlic and cumin for 30 sec, then add the chipotles with their adobo sauce and cook, stirring, for 1–2 min.
- Refry: Add the drained beans to the onion–chipotle mixture and mash, stirring in reserved bean liquid until spreadable. Return any bacon or chorizo to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for 5–10 min. Add more bean liquid as needed; the beans thicken as they cool. Taste before adding more salt.
Source and attribution
Inspired by Taquiza Cocina Mexicana’s Suegra’s Refried Beans