Drunken Beans (Frijoles Borrachos)
4 pieces (uncooked) bacon, diced
1 small white onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and diced (add an extra jalapeno for more heat)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12-ounce) bottle dark Mexican beer (I used Negra Modelo)
4 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
DIRECTIONS:
Cook bacon in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a separate plate. Set aside.
Meanwhile, reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the saute pan, discarding the extra. Add the onion and jalapeno, and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the beer, beans, brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, salt and cumin, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue simmering uncovered for about 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, stir in the bacon and lime juice. Then serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro.
*If you are cooking these gluten-free, you need to use gluten-free beer and be sure to inspect the labels of your ingredients (especially the beans) to be certain that they contain only gluten-free ingredients.
INGREDIENTS
8 Ounces About 1 1/4 Cups Dried Pinto Beans
1/2 Cup About 2 Ounces Cubed Pork Shoulder or Extra Chopped Bacon
4 Thick Slices Bacon Cut Into 1/2 Inch Pieces
1 Small White Onion Diced Into 1/4 Inch Pieces
1 Jalapeno Pepper Stemmed, Seeded and Finely Chopped
About 2-2 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons Tequila
1/4 Cup Cilantro Leaves Roughly Chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Rinse the beans thoroughly and scoop into a medium-size Dutch oven. Add 5 cups water, remove any beans that float, then add the pork shoulder (or extra chopped bacon) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and very gently simmer, partially covered, until the beans are thoroughly tender about 2 hours. You'll need to gently stir the beans regularly and add water as necessary to keep the liquid a generous 1/2 inch above the level of the beans.
In a medium-size skillet, fry the bacon (that is, the remaining bacon if you used some for the simmering), stirring regularly, until crisp, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon, leaving behind as much of the drippings as possible. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the drippings and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion and chiles and fry until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape the onion mixture into the beans, then taste and season it all with salt. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors. If the beans seem quite soupy, boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the consistency of a nice, brothy bean soup. (An alternative here is to puree 1/4 of the beans in a food processor or blender, returning them to the pot to thicken the broth.)
Just before serving, stir in the tequila and cilantro, then serve in warm bowls topped with the crumbled bacon.
