Mexican Charra Beans Food

MEXICAN CHARRO BEANS

Steps:

• Rinse and pick over beans.
• Bring the beans to a boil in a large pot of water and cook over medium heat for 1½ to 2 hours until they tender but still firm.
• Before the beans are done, fry the bacon in a large skillet until halfway cooked.
• Add garlic, tomatoes, onions, and green pepper; continue cooking with bacon until the bacon crisp.
• Add a can of beer to bacon mixture and simmer a few additional minutes, or longer if you like your beans softer.
• Add chopped cilantro and jalapenos; combine everything in one large pot.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.

CHARRO BEANS

Steps:

• Pour dry beans into a colander and rinse them off, removing any unwanted pieces. Add to a large pot with 6 cups of water (or enough to cover them by about 2 inches), a small chunk of onion, bay leaf and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender, but not bursting. (Mine usually take about 1 hour but depends on how dry/old your beans are). Check them a few times during cooking to make sure they are covered in water and add a little more water if needed.
• Once the beans are tender, drain them, reserving the liquid and pouring it into a measuring cup. Add additional water (or reduce liquid if needed) to make 2 ½ cups of total liquid. Stir in 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon. Set aside.
• Add the bacon and chorizo to a large pot and cook for about 5 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Remove some of the grease. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add ham (sausages, if using), diced tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, oregano, paprika, cumin, black pepper and cook for 5 additional minutes.
• Add cooked beans and broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, or additional spices if needed. Garnish with cilantro before serving.
• Serve as a main dish, wish warm tortillas, or as a side dish. When serving as a side dish I like to thicken the beans by adding a cornstarch slurry at the end (1 tablespoon of corn starch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water).

CHARRO BEANS

Steps:

• Cook the beans, strirring occasionally, in the boiling water until when squished between two figers they skin opens. If you need to add more water occasionally, it should be very hot. since cold water will toughen the beans.
• Add salt to taste 10 minutes before turning off flame.
• Take away from flame and set apart.
• Brown the bacon in hot cooking oil and add to it the onion and garlic.
• Add to the bacon sauté the beans along with the epazote sprig. Let it come to a boil, and then add the chile and the pork rind.
• Check seasoning and serve hot.
• Garnish each served bowl with cilantro.