Have you ever wondered what makes the burritos at good Mexican restaurants so absolutely amazing? It’s because everything is usually made from scratch- and they use lard as their oil, which adds a really nice, full bodied flavor, as well as being healthier than any transfat.
Refried beans from scratch are as good as what you’d get in a restaurant, or better. Make a full batch and freeze some for later so that you’re always ready with a quick appetizer idea like Loaded Nachos, Gimme Some Oven’s 7-layer dip or just chips and bean dip. They are tastier and healthier than the store bought version, plus they’re cheaper.
Refried Beans from Scratch Recipe
Cooking the beans is rather hands-off. Add 1.5 quarts of water, oregano, half an onion and garlic cloves to the pinto beans and then simmer for a few hours.
If you like pinto beans, or are about to make a delicious Spicy Chile recipe then you can stop after this step and use the beans whole. They will freeze well in this state too, so if you’re not sure what you’re going to do with them you can freeze them now and make half into refried beans later.
For my thrifty friends- this is a great alternative to store-bought beans, as you can get a pound of beans for just over a $1.00, which will make about 2.5 cans worth of pinto beans (which usually cost somewhere around $0.98/can).
Note: I recommend looking through the beans, or sorting them, before cooking. Occasionally a pebble or rotten bean gets in the mix and you don’t want to have to worry about that affecting your flavor.
Once the beans are tender and most of the water has been soaked up (about the consistency of the photo above) you can start the process to turn them from cooked pinto beans to refried beans.
In a large skillet melt lard over medium heat. Add diced 1/2 onion and stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat until onions have become transparent (about 7-10 minutes). Read how to make your own lard and never run out of it again.
Note: Using lard in your refried beans recipe is the traditional method of cooking the beans. If lard is not available and you still want that hint of pork flavor, use 2 Tbsp. of bacon grease and the rest as vegetable oil.
Add onion mixture to the beans and mash together over low heat for about 5 minutes. Or for a smoother mixture, use a food processor to blend together. If your beans get too dry as you mash add in a small amount of water and mix in.
Note: If you want a runnier refried bean dish then add water and mix in until you reach the consistency you desire.
If you want a drier refried bean then cook just a little longer- stirring constantly.
You can also enjoy your refried beans from scratch up to six months after you make it. Just place it in a freezer safe container. Coat the top of the beans with a thin layer of oil. Cover and freeze. If the beans have dried a bit when you are ready to use them you can add some water as they are heated and they will soften right up.
| Servings |
cups
|
- 1 lb Pinto Beans (dry)
- 1.5 quarts Water
- 2 sprigs Oregano fresh
- 1/2 Onion quartered
- 2-4 cloves Garlic
- 1/4 cup Lard
- 1/2 Onion diced
- 1.5 Tbsp. Salt more to taste
- 1 Tbsp. Cumin
- 1/2 Tbsp. Ground Ancho Pepper optional
Ingredients
|
|
- Sort through the pinto beans, picking out any that have gone bad. Place the rest in a large stockpot with the quart and a half of water. Add in the oregano, the quartered half onion and garlic cloves.
- Bring water mixture to a boil over high heat. Lower temperature to low and allow to simmer for 1 to 2 hours or until the beans have softened. Remove sprigs from fresh oregano
- Once beans have become tender start this step: In a large skillet melt lard over medium heat. Add diced 1/2 onion and stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat until onions have become transparent (about 7-10 minutes). *Note if lard is not available and you still want that hint of pork flavor, use 2 Tbsp. of bacon grease and the rest as vegetable oil.*
- Add onion mixture to the stockpot of beans. Mix in salt, ground ancho pepper and cumin. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat while mashing the beans. For a smoother puree place beans in a blender to "mash".
- Most of the water should have been soaked up. If you want a runnier refried bean dish then add more water and mix in. If you want a drier refried bean then cook just a little longer- stirring constantly.