Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and I LOVE Mexican food! Honestly, I could eat Mexican food every day of the week. So I cannot pass up this opportunity to enjoy and share some great Mexican food recipes with you. Recently, my friend Rosa came over to share some of her traditional Mexican recipes, which makes this even more awesome. Today, I am making Frijoles Refritos, or refried beans. A little something I learned, is that the term “refried” beans is actually a mistranslation. The translation is based on the prefix re- meaning “again” in the U.S., where in Mexico, re- actually means “very” or “well”. So frijoles refritos really means “well-fried beans”, not “fried-again beans”. I made this batch of beans with a thicker consistency, but the great thing about making them yourself, is that you can add as much additional liquid as you like to suit your needs. They go great with Mexican Red Rice, Carnitas and Skinny Margaritas!
Clean and sort debris from beans.
Add enough hot water to cover the beans by 3 inches.
To the pot add garlic, onion, chili peppers and bay leaf.
Add 1/2 cup of the cooking broth and mash the beans to your desired consistency.
- 1-16 ounce bag dried pinto beans
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ onion quartered
- 1 dried Arbol chili pepper (optional)
- 1 dried New Mexico chili pod (optional but highly recommend the addition of a chili pepper)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Clean and sort debris from beans.
- Place in a large pot with enough hot water to cover beans.
- Bring to a rapid boil and boil for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat, cover pot and let stand for 1 hour.
- Drain the water and rinse beans.
- Add enough hot water to cover the beans by 3 inches.
- To the pot add garlic, onion, chili peppers and bay leaf.
- Simmer beans partially covered for about 2 hours, until beans are soft and easily squished.
- At this point you may add salt to taste and simmer for 15 more minutes.
- After cooking, drain beans, BUT RESERVE ABOUT HALF OF THE BROTH FOR MASHING!
- Heat the oil in a hot skillet (I like to use my cast iron pan)
- Add beans (and onions and garlic if desired).
- Let fry for about 3 minutes. (Beware the hot oil could splash at this point)
- Add ½ cup of the cooking broth and begin mashing the beans to your desired consistency.
- Continue to add broth to get the thickness you are looking for. (It is all up to personal taste)
- Finish by tasting and salting. Also feel free to add some cumin or Mexican oregano at this stage as well.
