Beans, beans the magical fruit,
the more you eat the more you toot.........
oops......sorry about that! It just came right out.......


Authentic Mexican refried beans is one of those recipes that seem to vary just a wee bit from household to household. This is a basic recipe that was given to me by several of these cooks, and is probably the best one to pass on to you. Instead of choosing just one cook's chapter to include it in, I chose to separate it out so it would be easier for you to find when you need it.

Before we start, I think we should talk 'beans'. In my part of Mexico, the bean of choice for frijoles refritos - refried beans, is the Peruano bean also known as the Mexican yellow bean.

If your Mexican grocery does not have Peruano beans, then use Pinto beans. This is also a very common bean used in Mexico although it does have a bit more gas - definitely not the choice for a romantic evening meal. Choose wisely!

The first thing you always do with dried beans of any kind is sort them. I use a white plate to sort them out on so that I can easily see the tiny stones or shriveled beans at a glance. Discard anything that looks foreign or discolored.

To soak or not to soak. In Mexico it is not necessary to soak beans because they are not old beans. In other parts of the world, the turn-over in dried bean supplies may not be as active so if the beans are old, soaking is the way to go. If you choose to soak, then you will need to plan ahead. They will need to soak overnight. Rinse the beans in a colander then put them in a large pot. Cover them with cold water to about 7.62 cm / 3 inches above the beans. Let sit until tomorrow. In the morning, drain and rinse again. They are now ready to be cooked. OR

Rinse the beans in a colander then put them in a large pot with a well fitting lid. Cover them with cold water to about 7.62 cm / 3 inches above the beans. Heat the beans over medium heat until they have come to a rolling boil. Keep the lid on-no peeking. Turn the heat off and let them sit undisturbed for 1 hour. After 1 hour, drain the beans and rinse again. They are now ready to be cooked.

Now what you have been waiting for.............drum roll..........

Refried Beans … THE RECIPE

2½ cups dried beans
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
½ onion, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons real pork lard (fresh if possible - not that white canned stuff) or oil
(both are commonly used)


After you have either soaked the beans overnight or hydrated them by cooking for an hour, you are now ready to really cook them.

In your pot, put the newly rinsed beans, the onion and garlic and add enough water to cover by 5 cm / 2 inches. You will salt them a bit later.

Over medium heat, cook the beans 1 hour. Add the salt. Cook for another hour. Test for doneness at this point. Taste one to see if it is totally soft. If it is, they are done. If it still has a bit of chew to it, keep cooking. Check them at 30 minute intervals.

NOTE: The reason the times may differ depends on the age of the dried beans. The older the bean, the longer the cooking time.

When the beans are done, drain them reserving about 1 cup of the cooking broth. Now is the time to mash the beans, onion and garlic. Here is another choice. You can mash them with a potato masher and have some lovely little chunks of beans mixed with the bean purée or you can use the back of a large wooden spoon to mash them and have a smoother texture. I like them really smooth so I use an immersion blender. If your beans are too stiff, add some of the broth you kept. Not all of it, just a little at a time to thin them out.

When you have the consistency you like. Heat the lard or oil in a large frying pan. When it is HOT, add the beans and let them fry, stirring occasionally until they are heated thoroughly and all the lard/oil has been absorbed. Adjust your salt if necessary. Serve.

Chiles.........There are some basic ground rules in handling these little beasts. There is, of course, the old myth (maybe not a myth) that you should eat ice cream BEFORE you eat any spicy chiles to keep tender areas from burning the next morning. Alas, I have not tried this to see if it really works.
The precautions (RULES) below are not myths and I urge you to follow them for your own protection. You will be glad you did!

1. Always (and I mean it!) wear gloves when handling any type of chile.
• If you forget this rule and your hands feel like they are on fire, you can tame the heat with some fresh lime juice. This will tame the heat, not make it disappear. So follow Rule #2.
2. Do not touch your eyes, nose or any other vital parts of your anatomy with hands that have handled chiles. You will be very sorry........use your imagination here.
3. If you have eaten a chile dish that is too spicy for you, DO NOT DRINK water or beer!! This is the worst thing you can do as it only spreads the fire it does not extinguish it. A piece of bread, tortilla or cracker will help. If you have butter handy, put some on the bread, it will work better. A glass of milk (not non-fat) will help also. Almost any food with some fat in it will save you.