Casa M Charro Beans

Beans are a staple here at Casa M and it's not just because of Manny's heritage either since there's a long history of beans in New Orleans, where mom's family is from, too. Anyone who loves Mexican food, though, knows that when they are done right, charro beans are a highlight of the meal, not just a side-dish. The down side is that when they're not done right, they're barely palatable. We stick closely to a traditional recipe we learned from a chef in Mexico called "frijoles a la charra;" beans prepared the way the wife of a charro (the cowboys/horsemen of Mexico) would prepare them and do they ever have bold flavor!

Manny and I add serrano chiles to our beans because we like the extra green chile flavor it brings, but that's entirely a matter of taste. Feel free to experiment. The recipe calls for pinto beans, but the recipe will work with just about any type of dried bean you can get your hands on, in fact, in the photos you'll see we used Peruvian bean (frijol peruano). Once you try this recipe your outlook on beans will change forever.

As always, from our table to yours... #SpiceConfidently #EssenceOfFlavor #ChemistryInTheKitchen #CasaMSpice

— Mike Hernandez

ingredients

For the Pot Beans:

1 pound bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large white onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
3 poblano chiles, seeded, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound pinto beans, soaked overnight
12 cups water
1 Tablespoon Casa M Spice Co® Uncontrolled Chain Reaction®
salt and black pepper to taste
1 bunch epazote (optional)
1 pound chorizo de españa (optional)

For the Garnish:

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

FEATURED QUOTE

...we are quite fond of taking them to a point where we can mash a cup or so of the beans in the pot to make the pot liquor a little creamy

- Mike Hernandez

LET’S GET COOKING

1.
Soak your beans overnight.
2.
Add the bacon (and chorizo if you're using it) to a large, thick-bottomed soup pot and heat over medium-high to cook the bacon and render the fat from the bacon.
3.
Add the onions, garlic, and celery to the pot and sauté until the onions are translucent.
4.
Add the poblanos, Casa M Spice Co® Uncontrolled Chain Reaction®, and water and turn the heat up to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
5.
If you are using the epazote, either put it into a porous bag you can remove at the end or use a zip-tie to tie the stems together toward the bottom of the stalk and place it into the pot. You will fish this out and discard it when the beans are finished cooking. We're told (and our use and experience supports) that adding the epazote helps reduce the gas and bloating feeling some get after eating beans.
6.
Simmer the beans for 3-4 hours or until the beans are tender and don't have an "al dente" texture. While you're not looking to cook them until they are mushy and fall apart, we are quite fond of taking them to a point where we can mash a cup or so of the beans in the pot to make the pot liquor a little creamy, but that's a personal preference. Some like the pot liquor thin and brothy.
7.
If you used the epazote, pull it out and discard.
8.
Serve immediately, though this does refrigerate well and like most slow-cooked dishes does get better on day two.