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Refried beans, or frijoles refritos, are a de facto essential ingredient with many Mexican meals.  This recipe has a very authentic, Mexican taste, as it uses real lard.  Trust me, these beans don't taste like they came out of a can.


Special tools:  Large cast iron pot; I use an 8-quart pot, potato masher
Preparation time:  About 10 minutes
Cooking time:  About 10 minutes
Yield:  6 regular servings


2 cups pot beans, or one 30-oz can of canned pinto beans drained of most of the liquid
4 slices of bacon, including fat, diced
1/2 cup of lard; olive oil or shortening can be substituted but the taste won't be authentic
1/2 onion, any variety, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Salt to taste


Chop bacon and bacon fat until very fine.  Cook over medium high heat until soft.  Add lard and cook until liquefied.  Add onions and garlic to pot.  Place about half of the beans in the cast iron pot.  With the potato masher, mash the beans until they are coarsely pureed.  Add remainder of beans and mash until most of the beans are a "mush" and the rest are coarsely pureed.   Cook, stirring as needed, over medium-low heat until the lard is absorbed and beans are very tender; about 10 minutes.  Season with salt to taste.


The food police have put lard on their "hit list," but lard isn't as bad for your health as you may think, as long as it's not eaten every day.  Lard adds an "earthy," nutty taste to the beans that can't be duplicated by olive oil or shortening.  For best results, lard hecho en Mexico should be used, as lard sold in the U.S. is bland and too refined.  You can always tell how serious a person is about their refried beans by the type of lard they use!


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