food Tell me about your refried beans

Ive cooked tons of dried beans but ive not made refried from scratch. Watched a bunch of videos. Some cook onion, garlic ...whatever with the beans. Some cook the onion in oil and then add the cooked beans to that. Some add other seasoning and some are pretty much just beans.
 
Im thinking
 
Lard for oil...wish i had some pork fat handy
Onion and garlic or maybe a large red shallot
About 1/2 to 1 japapeno...not sure how spicy it is yet
Dash of cumin and black pepper
 
A lot of times when i cook beans i use some stock or Better than Bullion. Mostly for stuff like bean soups. I might have a pack of pork neck bones in the freezer but atm thats a bit overkill for my first try...maybe next time.
 
A little hole in the wall used to sell a refried bean appetizer. The owner said that version was fried in the oil from rendered chorizo. It was so good i would just get that and a couple tacos or a burrito. I eat refried mostly as a snack with chips or in a burrito. Not as much as a side dish.
 
Sometimes i like them thinned to a stew. Add some meat and served over rice. Sorta like Popeye's Chicken red beans and rice.
 
Leave out the garlic, imo, it just doesn't work in refried. You want subtle flavors and the beans to shine, the garlic will takeover, but you could try roasted. The shallot is a good idea since some say it tastes like a cross between garlic and onion. ;)
 
Ok, simply because i got some really nice large red shallots. That is part of why i wanted to go with minimal jalapeno. Just want a hint of that flavor...Not so much the heat. Maybe a variation later using dried aji panca. Mine are pretty mild and the flavor is not over powering.
 
 
Generally.
 
Refrieds.
 
Are cooked pinto beans.
 
Drained.
 
And tossed into a pot of melted lard.
 
Smashed with a potato masher.
 
Add salt.
 
After that.
 
Ain't no rules.
 
My pot of pintos always includes the trinity.
 
Garlic.
 
Onion.
 
Chiles.
 
Sometimes lime juice and zest.
 
And cilantro.
 
Add a little mexican sour crema.
 
 
Volverse loco wey!
 
IF you are using dried beans do yourself a favor and use an instant pot.  You DO NOT have to soak the dried beans and the results are fantastic.  There are plenty of recipes online to get you started.
 
I use:
 
dry beans
1 raw onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/2 broth, 1/2 salsa (any kind for either) to replace the liquid the instant pot recipe calls for
1 tbsp olive oil (or bacon grease)
cumin, chili powder, salt. pepper to taste
 
Cook them for 30-35 minutes at pressure (pintos or negros don't matter, garbanzos for 40) then let the pressure release naturally.  Ladle off some of the liquid, then mash or stick blend for a bit.  Add back however much liquid you like to reach desired consistency.
 
If you don't have a pressure cooker, search out a different recipe.  ;)
 
 
I like refried black beans also. The one i really got to try is the peruano beans i got. They are supposed to make a fantastic refried.
 
Well i had around 2 1/2 cups of small reds soaked (extra from something else). Added a little peruano beans (dry) to those. Got it all on a simmer now with 1 heaping tsp aji panca powder and 2 tbs onion flakes.. When they start to get good and soft i will add some Better than Bullion to them. Dont want any salt in there just yet. The peruano beans will lighten the color up a little bit and im a huge fan of the texture.
 
Yeah i got a pressure cooker and a pressure canner BUT the smallest i have is a Fagor 10 quart. Kinda large for what i need most of the time but great for making stock.
 
Well that recipe is a GO!!!! Pops tried them....Thumbs Up!!!...Bro tried them and first thing he did was run for some flour tortillas.
 
About 4 cups of beans (cooked)
2 heaping tbs of premium lard
4-5 tbs of finely minced red shallot
1 finely minced jalapeno (deseeded first)
Almost 1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
Enough bean water to process
 
I didnt see any reason to whip them up any further. They are pretty creamy. I just used the slotted spoon to mash them and stir the hell outta them.
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SmokenFire said:
IF you are using dried beans do yourself a favor and use an instant pot.  You DO NOT have to soak the dried beans and the results are fantastic.  There are plenty of recipes online to get you started.
 
I use:
 
dry beans
1 raw onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1/2 broth, 1/2 salsa (any kind for either) to replace the liquid the instant pot recipe calls for
1 tbsp olive oil (or bacon grease)
cumin, chili powder, salt. pepper to taste
 
Cook them for 30-35 minutes at pressure (pintos or negros don't matter, garbanzos for 40) then let the pressure release naturally.  Ladle off some of the liquid, then mash or stick blend for a bit.  Add back however much liquid you like to reach desired consistency.
 
If you don't have a pressure cooker, search out a different recipe.  ;)
 
 
 
So, like what's the quantity of beans we be talkin about here SnF?

 
 
DownRiver said:
 
 
So, like what's the quantity of beans we be talkin about here SnF?

 
 
I use 1lb dry beans - about 2 cups worth.
 
Wash & sort the beans then add to the instant pot (or if you don't have a pressure cooker soak the beans overnight) then add the onion, garlic, 4 cups broth, 2 cups salsa. oil or grease and however much seasonings you'd like.  Cook for 30 mins at pressure and allow to release normally.  There won't be a lot of liquid in the pot after the cooking is finished, but I ladle about a cup or maybe a little more out before I start mashing and add some back in to get the texture/thickness I like.  Finish with a bit of salt if needed.
 
Sometimes I use the potato masher for a rougher texture, sometimes I use the boat motor to whip em up smooth.  :)
 
I like them chunky or whipped. My brother destroyed the entire batch of beans. I guess that tells me the recipe is acceptable. :D
 
Even if they are a little thin, they will set up more in the fridge. Basically perfect when reheated. IMO the peruano beans have a creamy texture that really excels for refried. Ive noticed it when i made soups/stews with them. When i use them for that i set some aside until cool. Then i blitz them with some stock in the Nutribullet. I add that back to the bean soup.....Its awesome.
 
Next batch is canned pinto beans and half dried peruano beans. I got a couple links of andouille i can render for the fat. :D
 
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