Refried Beans
Serves 6 to 8
Cooking Time 9 to 10 hours on Low or 6 to 7 hours on High
Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Homemade refried beans, infused with rich pork flavor, a subtle heat, and warm spice
notes, are worlds apart from the canned stuff, but making them takes time. For great
refried beans for our tacos, tostadas, and nachos, we put our slow cooker to work
and developed a recipe that was flavor-packed but hands-off. We started with dried
pintos (the usual pick for refried beans) and added them right to the slow cooker—no
advance soaking or simmering needed. Chicken broth provided a flavorful cooking liquid,
and garlic, onion, and cumin offered the requisite aromatic and warm spice notes.
A poblano chile upped the heat level, and two slices of bacon infused the beans with
smoky, savory depth. To jump-start the cooking of the aromatics and spices and deepen
their flavor, we microwaved them briefly with the bacon, which rendered some fat and
took the place of any vegetable oil. Once the beans were tender, we discarded the
spent bacon strips and mashed the beans. Cilantro and lime juice added brightness
and gave our dish authentic south-of-the-border flavor. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.
|
1 |
cup chopped onion |
|
1 |
poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced |
|
2 |
slices bacon |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced garlic |
|
1 |
tablespoon ground cumin |
|
1 |
pound (2½ cups) dried pinto beans, picked over and rinsed |
|
5 |
cups chicken broth |
|
3 |
tablespoons minced fresh cilantro |
|
1 |
tablespoon lime juice |
|
|
Salt and pepper |
1. Microwave onion, poblano, bacon, garlic, and cumin in bowl, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in beans and broth. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.
2. Remove bacon. Mash beans with potato masher until smooth. Stir in cilantro and lime juice and season with salt, pepper, and extra lime juice to taste. Serve. (Beans can be held on warm or low setting for up to 2 hours; loosen with hot water as needed before serving.)