Creamy and Dreamy Refried Beans
One Christmas morning years ago, I was making huevos rancheros for my family when the most unbelievable thing happened. I opened two cans of beans and emptied them with their liquid into a pan, warming them up. Then, I left the beans unattended while making the eggs. And when I came back to the beans, they had turned from whole to broken up. A light bulb went off—this would become one of my secrets in making refried beans. My other secret was the seasonings. I learned from a lot of experimentation that the pairing of fresh toasted, ground cumin seeds with red pepper flakes imbues an earthy flavor into the beans while infusing a peppery heat. This was all fine and well, but it still lacked a punch. So, I experimented some more and discovered that the hickory flavoring of bacon drippings was the secret ingredient that lent a smoky, robust flavor to the beans. With this combination of hickory bacon grease, pinto beans, cumin, and red pepper flakes, I had stumbled on a flavor equation made in heaven. Try these creamy refried beans for yourself and you’ll see why!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup drippings from hickory-smoked bacon*
- 2 x 15 oz. cans pinto beans, I like S&W
- 1 t. fresh toasted, ground cumin (from seeds)
- ½ t. red pepper flakes, use less if you’re heat sensitive
- Salt and pepper to taste
- *Note: you’ll need to cook 1 lb. of bacon to drain ¼ cup of grease.
Directions
- Step 1 First, if you don’t have the toasted, ground cumin on hand, toast the cumin seeds in a nonstick skillet until they’re golden brown. Then, grind into a powder with a spice or coffee grinder. Clean if using a coffee grinder.
- Step 2 Second, if you don’t have the grease on hand, cook 1 lb. of bacon to drain ¼ cup of grease. Then, heat the grease in a 10-12” nonstick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. If it’s in solid form, wait until the grease melts.
- Step 3 Third, open the cans of beans and empty them with their liquid into the skillet with the grease. Then, add the red pepper flakes and cumin. Lower the heat to medium or medium-low and use your favorite masher to mash the beans while they heat. Work fast and watch the liquid. You don’t want all of it to absorb since the beans should be like the consistency of heavy whipping cream. Also, the beans will thicken when stored in the fridge.
- Step 4 Fourth: I don’t mash every bean since leaving some whole adds an interesting texture. Also, be sure to remove the beans from heat when they reach the consistency you want. You can always continue to mash the beans off heat. If for some reason your beans get a little thick, thin them out with a little chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with my Honduran Baleadas (Soft Bean Tacos) and my Honduran Licuados de Mínimo (Naturally Sweet Banana Smoothies) for a traditional Honduran meal. See Sources at the bottom of the page.
These Creamy and Dreamy Refried Beans are enhanced by the flavorful drippings of hickory-smoked bacon and key spices like red pepper flakes and earthy cumin. Serve with my Naturally Sweet Banana Smoothies and my Honduran Baleadas or Soft Bean Tacos for an authentic Honduran dish!
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Servings per recipe: 4, calories: 305, total fat: 14.2 g., saturated fat: 5.5 g., cholesterol: 14 mg., sodium: 496 mg., total carbohydrate: 31.9 g., dietary fiber: 7.1 g., total sugars: 1.7 g., protein: 10.5 g., calcium: 110 mg., iron: 3 mg., potassium: 14 mg., vitamin D: 0 mg.
SOURCES:
Honduran Baleadas (Soft Bean Tacos), Cuisine by Kristina.
Honduran Licuados de Mínimo (Naturally Sweet Banana Smoothies), Cuisine by Kristina.