- Cooked
Pinto Beans (or other beans, see
note below)
- Fat for frying (margarine, oil,
shortening, lard, bacon grease etc.)
You can use any amount of beans to make
this recipe. The best way I've found is to
make a double batch of
My Best Pinto Beans. On the first day
have the beans in large bowls with onions
and cornbread. On the second day, reheat the
beans and "fry" them. Serve on
homemade tortillas or as an
accompaniment to
Mexican Style Rice.
To prepare the beans, take them cold from
the fridge. If they are very juicy, then
drain off some of the juice. If they are not
very juicy, then don't worry about it. Place
the beans in their pot on the stove. Use a
potato masher to mash them while they heat.
You do not need to get them smooth. Just
turn most of them to mush. As the beans heat
they will thicken and bubble. Add a little
bit of fat to give them flavor and to keep
them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
If they already some fat in them, then you
don't need any more. Simmer the beans over
medium heat until they are thick enough to
spoon out. They won't be as thick as canned
refried beans. Canned refried beans are
thicker than they should be. If you ever
reheat canned refried beans, then add about
1/4-cup of water and 1 or 2 tablespoons of
fat to beans and they will taste a lot
better.
When the beans are thick and hot, they are
done. Some people like their beans topped
with cheese. If you don't have any cheese,
then they are excellent served with a
topping of sliced onions that have been
fried in a little margarine or bacon grease.
Hot sauce or salsa are good if you like your
beans spicy.
NOTE: If you don't have pinto beans,
don't worry. Other dried beans can be used
instead. Kidney beans, black beans, and pink
beans all make great refried beans.
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