Homemade Refried Beans

My daughter has loved the refried beans at a local Mexican restaurant named Chevy’s since she was 2 years old. She just LOVES them. I picked up their cookbook (Chevy’s Fresh Mex Cookbook) several years ago but finally decided to try to recreate their refried beans. The beans simmered all afternoon long and made the house smell AMAZING! They turned out flavorful and delicious and put a huge smile on my daughter’s face. I have a feeling, knowing my daughter, I will be making these beans often.

Soak the pinto beans in a covered stockpot filled with water overnight.

Cook the bacon pieces in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, until cooked through & crisp. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and reserve for later use. Add 1/2 cup of onion and the jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the chile powder, cumin, and minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add a cup of the soaking water from beans while stirring and scraping the bottom to loosen all the brown bits. Add the beans and 7 more cups of water and bring to a rapid boil. Decrease the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 hours, or until the beans are soft. Add salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.

Side Note: You may serve the beans whole – they are called Beans a la Charra at Chevy’s.

For the refried beans, heat 3 teaspoons of the reserved bacon grease or vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the four cups of the beans and cooking liquid to the sauté pan and mash until about two-thirds of the beans are mashed and one-third is still whole. Set aside to cool which will thicken the beans. Serve plain or topped with grated cotija cheese. Enjoy.

Homemade Refried Beans

Total Time: 3 hours overnight soaking of the beans

Ingredients:

3 cups dried pinto beans
3 quarts of water
6 slices of uncooked bacon, coarsely chopped
1 cup onion, finely diced (divided)
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1 tbsp chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
3 tsp reserved bacon grease or vegetable oil

Cotija cheese, if desired

Directions:

Soak the pinto beans in a covered stockpot filled with water overnight.

Cook the bacon pieces in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, until cooked through & crisp. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and reserve for later use. Add 1/2 cup of onion and the jalapeno and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the chile powder, cumin, and minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add a cup of the soaking water from beans while stirring and scraping the bottom to loosen all the brown bits. Add the beans and 7 more cups of water and bring to a rapid boil. Decrease the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 hours, or until the beans are soft. Add salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Side Note: You may serve the beans whole - they are called Beans a la Charra at Chevy's.

For the refried beans, heat 3 teaspoons of the reserved bacon grease or vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add the four cups of the beans and cooking liquid to the sauté pan and mash until about two-thirds of the beans are mashed and one-third is still whole. Set aside to cool which will thicken the beans. Serve plain or topped with grated cotija cheese. Enjoy.

Adapted recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net
Original recipe by Chevy's Fresh Mex Cookbook