Mexican
Frijoles Refritos
Pot-cooked pinto beans are fried with onion and lard, then hand-mashed with their own broth into creamy frijoles refritos with textured body.
8 servings · 20 minutes prep · 135 minutes cook
Ingredients
Beans from the Pot
- 1 pound dried pinto beans, sorted and rinsed
- 1 medium white onion, divided, half left in one piece; half finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 8 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
To Fry
- 3 tablespoons rendered pork lard
- 1 serrano chile, left whole and slit once, optional
Directions
Cook the Beans
- Cover the pinto beans with water and soak for 8 hours; drain. Combine with the intact half of onion, garlic, and water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer partly covered for 75 to 105 minutes, adding hot water to keep beans submerged. When creamy inside but intact, stir in the salt and simmer 10 minutes. Discard the intact onion. Measure 4 packed cups beans for frying; this fried portion makes 8 side-dish servings. Reserve 3 cups broth for frying and loosening. Divide any beans and broth remaining beyond those measured amounts among shallow containers, refrigerate within 2 hours, and use within 3 to 4 days.
Fry and Mash
- Heat the lard in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and the serrano if using; fry 5 to 7 minutes until onion edges are golden. Remove serrano for mild beans.
- Add 4 cups drained beans and 1 cup hot bean broth; expect vigorous bubbling. Mash while simmering for 8 to 12 minutes, adding broth in small amounts until about three-quarters of the beans are broken.
Set the Texture
- Continue frying and folding until a spoon drawn across the pan leaves a trail that closes slowly. Taste for salt and loosen with hot broth until the beans mound softly; serve hot while the texture remains loose and spoonable.
