Refried Beans

How to make Refried Beans Recipe

4 SERVINGS

Ingredients:
1 cup Pinto beans, dried
1 1/2 quarts Chicken stock
2 ounces Bacon, 1/4 inch (.6 cm) dice
1/2 cup Onion, 1/4 inch (.6 cm) dice
1 Garlic clove, minced
to taste Salt and black pepper
1 cup Queso fresco, grated

Method:
Wash and soak the beans overnight.

Drain the beans and add the stock. Bring to a simmer, turn down the heat, and simmer for approximately 11/2 hours, or until tender.

Render the bacon over medium heat, until almost crisp. Add the onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes.

Add the beans. Using the back of a large wooden spoon or a potato masher, mash the beans into the bottom of the pan, stirring frequently so they do not stick. When the beans are broken up but still have visible pieces, simmer for a few minutes.

Season with salt and pepper, and serve with grated cheese.

Chef Tips:
The bacon fat in this recipe can be replaced with a simple vegetable oil if a more nutritionally sound dish is desired. In the American Southwest, authentic refried beans call for smoking-hot lard to be poured over the cooked, mashed pinto beans and stirred in, thus the name refried beans. Owing to the unusually high cholesterol content of lard, we use a small amount of bacon fat and refry the beans from the bottom as opposed to the traditional procedure.A cast-iron frying pan yields the best results, however, a nonstick pan will also work.