Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans)

Name: Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans)
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: mexican
Ingredients: 1 pound dried pinto beans; 5 slices thick-cut bacon, thinly sliced crosswise; 1 large yellow or white onion, coarsely chopped; 4 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 jalapeño, serrano or poblano peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped; Handful of cilantro sprigs, stems finely chopped and leaves left whole; 2 medium to large tomatoes, coarsely chopped; Salt; 12 ounces light or dark Mexican beer (1 bottle or can)

By Ali Slagle

Published Jan. 17, 2023

Frijoles Borrachos (Drunken Beans) — Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho.

Total Time: 2½ hours, plus overnight soaking
Rating: 4(622)
Comments: Read comments

The method of cooking beans with beer originated in northern Mexico (Monterrey is the country’s brewery capital), then traveled with the cowboys on cattle drives. It’s easy to imagine a cauldron of beans simmering over a fire, the cook tossing in bits of meat from the grill, then pouring in beer to cover the beans, which might have been more convenient than water. According to “The Taste of Mexico” (Harry N. Abrams, 1986) by Patricia Quintana, the food of northern Mexico is often associated with grilled meats, but it is also epitomized by spicy beans like frijoles charros (or cowboy beans) and drunken beans. Bacon (or Mexican chorizo or other fatty meats) provide a rich base in which to cook vegetables like onions and peppers, while the beer makes the beans brighter and sharper but not boozy. Eat a bowl with grilled meats, flour tortillas or solo.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

1pound dried pinto beans
5slices thick-cut bacon, thinly sliced crosswise
1large yellow or white onion, coarsely chopped
4garlic cloves, chopped
2jalapeño, serrano or poblano peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
Handful of cilantro sprigs, stems finely chopped and leaves left whole
2medium to large tomatoes, coarsely chopped
Salt
12ounces light or dark Mexican beer (1 bottle or can)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large bowl, cover the beans with plenty of water and soak for 8 to 12 hours.
Step 2
When ready to cook, in a large Dutch oven or pot, add the bacon, set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate or bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
Step 3
Add the onions, garlic, peppers and cilantro stems to the bacon fat and cook until softened and browned in spots, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beans to the pot. Pour in enough of the bean’s soaking liquid to cover the beans by 1 inch; if you run out of soaking liquid, use fresh water. Season generously with salt. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce heat to simmer until beans are tender but not yet soft or falling apart, 1 to 1½ hours. Check the beans periodically and if the water level is below the beans, add soaking liquid or, if you’re out, fresh water to cover.
Step 4
Taste the bean liquid and if it tastes dull or murky, add salt. Pour in the beer and gently simmer until liquid has thickened slightly and the beans are soft and creamy, 30 to 40 minutes. Taste more than one bean to ensure they’re all cooked through; they should flatten without much effort when pressed between your fingers. Stir in the reserved bacon, then season to taste with salt. Eat with the reserved cilantro leaves. Beans will keep for up to 5 days refrigerated.

Ratings

4 out of 5

622 user ratings

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Comments

Laura in Chicago, IL2 years ago

After years of cooking dried beans that had soaked overnight I finally learned from America's Test Kitchen to soak beans in salt water. The brine is 3 tblsp. table salt in 4 qts. cold water for 1 lb. beans. Soak for 8-24 hrs. Rinse well before cooking. Beans cook faster, more evenly, and the skins are soft but don't burst. (There's a simple chemistry to this.) The insides are uniformly creamy. Great results from a simple brining technique.

Ryan Coleman2 years ago

I find that adding highly acidic ingredients like tomato product in the beginning stages of bean cookery is a no-no. The whole "no salt" thing is certainly not true either. I recommend cooking any dried beans w/o any vinegar, citrus or tomato product until they are al-dente. If not, it has taken me closer to 3 hours to arrive at a tender bean. And of course, try to buy the freshest dried beans that you can. Old beans can take a lot longer to cook. I buy mine in the bulk food section.

Melissa/NM2 years ago

I use the Cook's Illustrated tip of soaking in water with some baking soda to soften even old beans so they cook up creamy the next day (drain soak water, rinse and replace with fresh H2O). At high altitude, water boils at a lower temp (195 in my case) so this trick helps a lot. I add only garlic and bay leaves in cooking, and salt/pepper to taste in the bowl. And of course, red chili sauce.

Ben3 weeks ago

I wish the recipe had given a specific volume of the soaking liquid to add rather than just "cover the beans by one inch". I think I added too much (when I poured water in it lifted the beans up); I'm nearing the end of the cooking time and I'm basically looking at bean soup.

Todd1 month ago

I used Modelo Negra beer, and used two Serranos, seeded/ribs removed, and it was pretty mild, so I add 1/2 tsp of Chili powder. I also added 2 T molasses and 1T brown sugar, as well as 1/4 pound chorizo, in addition to the bacon, and three sprigs of epazote, all of which I'd seen in other recipes for frijoles borrachos online. They were a hit at the potluck!

Akimbo3 months ago

Perfect without the beer. Also, I substitute 2x or 3x canned beans. Too much cilantro will make it bitter. Excellent as side with pork sausage or pork anything

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