Frijoles Charros - Mexican Charro Beans

bacon

🥗Healthier: turkey bacon

💰Cheaper: smoked sausage

Turkey bacon is lower in fat, while smoked sausage can be more affordable.

chorizo

🥗Healthier: lean ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Lean ground turkey has less fat, while ground beef is often cheaper.

Start by preparing 2 pounds of cooked pinto beans from a previous video.

Slice 1 pound of bacon and set aside.

Use half a tube of chorizo, preferably ground pork chorizo from a Mexican butcher.

Chop half an onion and one bell pepper, and dice two Roma tomatoes.

Chop 1/2 cup of cilantro and mince 3 garlic cloves.

Add 2 teaspoons of Mexican oregano, making sure to use Mexican oregano for the best flavor.

Add 1 small serrano pepper, chopped.

Heat a pot over medium heat and add the sliced bacon, spreading it out to render the fat.

Cook the bacon for about 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes crispy and dark mahogany in color, allowing the fat to render out.

Remove the bacon from the pot and place it in a bowl lined with a napkin, saving some bacon fat in the pot.

Add the chopped onion, cilantro, tomatoes, bell pepper, garlic, and serrano pepper to the pot with the bacon fat.

Add the Mexican oregano, crushing the leaves before mixing them in.

Deglaze the pot by adding a little water to scrape up the flavorful bits from the bottom.

Cook the mixture until the onions are translucent.

Add in half a tube of chorizo, breaking it up and mixing it with the other ingredients.

Add the cooked pinto beans to the pot, mixing them in with the other ingredients.

Pour in 1 cup of chicken broth to add more liquid to the mixture.

Allow the mixture to come back up to temperature, stirring occasionally.

Add the reserved crispy bacon back into the pot and check for seasoning, adding salt to taste if necessary.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: