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An overhead view of a large oval Dutch oven filled with borracho beans with a wooden spoon inserted into the middle of them.

Authentic Borracho Beans

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: TexMex / Mexican
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Soak: 8 hours
Total Time: 11 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 341kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
These Borracho Beans are about as comforting of a pot of food as you'll ever make.  Warm, delicious, and wonderful any time of the year.  Allowing the beans overnight ensures they will cook evenly and be perfectly tender.
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Equipment

  • Large pot or Dutch oven 7 to 9 quart

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pinto beans dried
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 bottle beer preferably Mexican, not dark
  • 2 cups water plus more as the beans simmer
  • 1 pound salt pork or ham bone or ham hocks, See NOTES
  • 6 slices bacon roughly chopped
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoon pork lard optional
  • ½ cup cilantro fresh, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt See NOTES
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Soak the beans overnight.  The next day, drain and add beans into a large pot. 
  • Add the stock, beer, water, and salt pork (or ham bone) to the pot and simmer on low for 1½ hours.  Stir occasionally to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 
  • Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-line plate.
  • Pour out all but 2 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet and then heat over medium heat.
  • Add the onion, peppers and garlic and cook until soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Add to the simmering beans the cooked bacon and sautéed vegetables, along with the pork lard (if using), cilantro, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and salt (to taste). Simmer for another 1½ hours, or until the beans are tender. Stir occasionally and add more water to maintain a "soupy" consistency.

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
If you forget to soak the beans overnight, you have two options:
  • Hot soak - Cover the beans with 10 cups of water in a large pot, and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the beans sit for 4 hours. Then proceed with the recipe. 
  • Quick soak - Cover the beans with 6 cups of water in a large pot, and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let the beans sit for 1 hour. Then proceed with the recipe. 
If cooking with salt pork, be sure to taste the beans before adding salt. Some salt porks are very salty and others are not. If yours is salty, you may need to add very little salt. Add the salt near the end of the simmering process.
Pork lard adds an amazing depth of flavor and gives the beans a very authentic taste. Pork lard can be found at your local Hispanic food market. 
Reheat beans over medium heat on the stove and add more water or stock to reach the "soupy" consistency. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 6 to 7 days.  They freeze nicely for months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 712mg | Potassium: 342mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 376IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg