Frijoles Charros

Frijoles charros or cowboy beans originated in the Northern part of Mexico by the cowboys there, who were known as charros or vaqueros. The charros’ diet consisted of mostly meats, predominantly pork, and beans or frijoles, and more specifically pulses or pinto beans. As with any good recipe, there is never just one way to make it. There are as many different variations as there are cowboys.

Beans have been a part of the Mexican diet for at least 7000 years. The beans made their way up through Peru and have been a dietary staple ever since. Unlike refried beans, which are smashed during the cooking process, charro beans are left whole, swimming in their broth. Charro beans are similar to another Mexican recipe, borracho beans, or pinto beans cooked in beer. Charro beans are whole pinto beans cooked with spices, some type of meat, usually pork or bacon, and jalapeño peppers. Refried beans are just cooked pinto beans mashed with a type of fat (usually lard or shortening) until smooth and creamy, I actually much prefer my beans whole rather than smashed and refried, plus they are usually healthier, with less calories.

One of the many dishes I made for my Old World/New World fiesta Old World/New World Fiesta was a rendition of frijoles charros, though mine had beer in them too, so they were really frijoles charros borracho, or drunken beans.

Frijoles Charros

Like with so many complex dishes, these beans only get better with a couple of days under their belt. They are certainly good when you first make them, but all the flavors blend together with a couple of days rest, and they get even better.

2 large cans of pinto beans

1 cup beer

2-3 jalapenos, chopped fine and seeded

2 tomatoes, diced

1-2 tsp cinnamon

1 onion, chopped

1 TBSP garlic

3-4 TBSP dark brown sugar

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil for cooking

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Get a large pan or pot very hot, then add the oil, garlic, onions and jalapenos. Saute for about 3-5 minutes. You can add bacon and/or bacon fat as well, and I normally would have too, but I didn’t have any bacon down from the freezer at the time, so I decided against it. This worked to my advantage too, because I had some guests who were vegetarians and/or could not have pork. So I made sure I had something for everyone. it was just luck, but it turned out to be fortuitous.

Add the rest of the ingredients and combine thoroughly.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 or so minutes, or until about 1/2 of the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

These frijoles were a huge hit and received rave reviews. They were a bit spicy and a little sweet at the same time. They were a perfect accompaniment to the rest of the meal as well.

When cooking Mexican foods, rice and beans are very frequently served together, with most meals, especially if you are cooking Northern Mexican dishes. Most of the California style Mexican food hails from the Northern regions of either Sonora or Sinaloa. This is the delicious Mexican food I grew up with.

Que tengas un gran dia y que cada dia sea grandioso o have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.