Frijoles Charros Recipe - A Texas Potluck Favorite
Discover > Texas Recipes > Frijoles Charros Recipe - A Texas Potluck Favorite
Texas is Big on Potlucks.
A typical Texas potluck is a gathering where everyone brings their favorite dish to share, with no shortage of food or fun. It's always an exciting mix of food, and you never know what you're going to get.
I always bring a big pot of frijoles charros to a potluck. People can't get enough of the spicy beans and tender beef. I always bring plenty of it, so there's enough for everyone. It'sIt's the perfect dish for showing off your Tex-Mex cooking skills, and everyone always loves it. The best part is that everyone can help themselves to as many frijoles charros as they want. Plus, it's perfect for serving any time of year!
What are Frijoles Charros?
Frijoles Charros, sometimes called "cowboy beans," are Mexican charro beans with bacon (how long does bacon last?) and chiles. Charro beans are a delicious and hearty dish popular in Tex-Mex cuisine. The beans are cooked in a flavorful broth made from bacon, onions, (What wine goes well with onions?) garlic, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, and other spices. This hearty dish is a perfect meal and can be served with rice or tortillas.
The dish is said to have originated in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Traditionally made using dried beans, the pinto beans (how long does pinto beans last?) were soaked overnight and slow-cooked over a fire. However, dried pinto beans may be substituted using canned beans for faster preparation.
For a truly authentic experience, try making your charro beans at home. The recipe is not difficult to follow, and the results will surely please your taste buds.
Main Ingredients
In Texas, there are a few different ways to source the ingredients for frijoles charros.
One option is to head to a local farmer's market. You can find local fresh produce and seasonal items here, including jalapenos, tomatoes, and onions. Another option is to visit a local Mexican market. These markets usually carry a wide variety of beans and other traditional Mexican ingredients.
Finally, you can also order the ingredients online. This is an excellent option if you're looking for hard-to-find ingredients or want to save time and money.
No matter where you source your ingredients, with a little effort, you'll be able to make delicious frijoles charros in your kitchen.
Pinto Beans
There's no dish more Tex-Mex than frijoles charros, and there's no bean more perfect for this dish than the pinto. Pinto beans are a small, brownish-red variety of common beans, and they get their name from their mottled "painted" appearance. They become soft and creamy when cooked, making them the perfect base for hearty stew-like frijoles charros.
In addition to being delicious, pinto beans are also packed with nutrients. They're an excellent source of protein, iron, and potassium and are low in fat and calories. In addition, making beans a part of your diet greatly increases your recommended daily intake of both insoluble and soluble fiber.
I highly recommend purchasing pinto beans online for a convenient shopping experience!
Bacon
The humble bacon bean is often overlooked but plays an essential role in many traditional dishes. Frijoles charros, for example, would be pretty bland without the smoky flavor of bacon. In addition to adding flavor, bacon helps thicken the stew and add body. As a result, it is an essential ingredient in this dish.
Rust Butcher Shop located in New Braunfels, TX, provides full meat market and game processing services, as well as fresh meats. Visit the TexasRealFood Promptuary and explore local variations of Bacon & Sausages, and their availability near you!
Mexican Chorizo
One of the keys to making good frijoles charros is to use fresh Mexican chorizo. Chorizo is a sausage famous in Mexico and many Latin American countries. It is made from pork but can also be made from beef or chicken. The meat is seasoned with various spices, including chili powder, cumin, and garlic. Chorizo can be bought fresh or prepackaged at most grocery stores. When making frijoles charros, cook the chorizo until it is nice and crisp. This will give the dish a delicious smoky flavor that is truly irresistible.
La Chaparrita Meat Market is an authentic Mexican meat market and grocery store in Leander, TX that offers traditional, made-from scratch dishes. The butcher shop offers fresh, traditional cuts of meat at affordable prices. Even if it’s not listed, they’ll happily make anything to order.
Jalapeno Pepper
The jalapeno pepper is a staple in Texas cuisine. This flavorful pepper adds a touch of spice to any dish, from salsas and chili to nachos and quesadillas. Spanish settlers introduced Jalapeno peppers to Texas in the early 1800s. Since then, they have become integral to the state's culinary culture.
A pot of frijoles charros is not complete without a few slices of jalapeno pepper. The small, green pepper packs a powerful punch of flavor that can transform an ordinary pot of beans into a delicious and spicy dish. Jalapeno peppers are also relatively easy to find at your local farmer’s markets; and are inexpensive, making them an excellent option for anyone on a budget.
Play around with this recipe by substituting jalapeno peppers with your favorite pepper, or whatever pepper is abundant and in season.
Spices
Cumin
One of the key ingredients in frijoles charros is cumin powder. Cumin is a spice that gives the dish its characteristic earthy flavor.
If you're looking for cumin, buying it online is your best bet!
Guajillo Powder
Guajillo powder is another important ingredient in frijoles charros. Guajillo powder is made from dried guajillo peppers and adds a touch of heat to the dish.
When it comes to getting the best deals, buying guajillo powder, online is the way to go!
Tex-Mex spices are truly one-of-a-kind. Learn about the different spices and how to create your own Tex-Mex spice mix here.
Equipment
Large Pot
While there are many ways to make frijoles charros, a large pot or Dutch oven is one common necessity. The dish must be simmered over low heat to allow the flavors to meld together. Although a Dutch oven is not required to make frijoles charros, it does help to create an authentic experience.
For the most extensive selection, I suggest buying a large pot or Dutch oven online!
How to Make Frijoles Charros
Cook the Dried Pinto Beans
The first step of this process is to sort and sift through 1-2 cups of dried beans. You don't want shriveled up or split ones, so don't forget to remove them. There may also be little rocks mixed in with your shipment, which you should discard.
Let your beans sit on a countertop where they will be soaked and ready for use. After 8 hours, drain and rinse the beans. They'll be doubled in size during this time.
Transfer the soaked beans to a large pot or Dutch oven with 5 cups of water. Bring the beans to a boil, reduce heat, so they remain at an optimum simmer, and cover for 2 hours before rechecking progress. Once cooked thoroughly, remove from the stove top, cool down, save the liquid and set aside.
*If you use canned beans, you may add half water and half beef stock to the stew to replace the beans cooking water in the recipe
Cook the Frijoles Charros
Start by cooking the bacon until it starts to crisp up. At this point, add some spicy chorizo that you've removed from its casing. Next, break up with a spoon and cook together while constantly stirring so all ingredients are cooked evenly.
You may use a spoon to gently remove some excess fat from bacon and chorizo. Next, add your diced onion and jalapenos until they're soft and translucent.
Add tomatoes, garlic, guajillo powder, and cumin. Cook while stirring constantly. Add hot dog sausages, mix well and cook for three more minutes.
Add in the pinto beans with liquid from the reserved cooking water. The quantity of liquid is entirely up to you. Some like their charro beans with lots of broth, while others prefer less liquid.
Bring a boil and simmer for 5 minutes to create a thick soup. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Finish by topping the dish with chopped onions, cilantro (how long does cilantro last?), and queso fresco. Serve in a big bowl with some corn or wheat tortillas (how long do wheat tortillas last?) on the side.
Frijoles Charros
Ingredients
3 cups Cooked Beans (how long do cooked beans last?)
2 cups Beans Cooking Water
4 oz Mexican Chorizo, casings removed
â…“ cup Bacon
2 Hotdog Sausages
2 small Tomatoes
1 small Onion
1 Jalapeño Pepper
1 Garlic Clove
¼ tsp Cumin Powder
¾ tsp Guajillo Powder
Finishing:
1 small bunch Cilantro
1 small Onion
Queso Fresco
Serve with:
Warm Tortillas
Instructions
Place the bacon in a large pot or dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.
Cook the bacon until it starts to crisp up. Add chorizo and crumble it with the back of a spoon, then cook until crispy.
Stir in onions and jalapeño peppers until onions are slightly translucent.
Add tomatoes, garlic, guajillo powder, and cumin, stirring constantly.
Add hot dog sausages, mix well and cook for three more minutes.
Put in beans plus the cooking water
Cook for 20 minutes and then adjust with salt to taste
Top with chopped cilantro, onions, and queso fresco.
Serve with wheat or corn tortilla.
Frijoles Charros
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cooked Beans
- 2 cups Beans Cooking Water
- 4 oz Mexican Chorizo, casings removed
- â…“ cup Bacon
- 2 Hotdog Sausages
- 2 small Tomatoes
- 1 small Onion
- 1 Jalapeño Pepper
- 1 Garlic Clove
- ¼ tsp Cumin Powder
- ¾ tsp Guajillo Powder
- 1 small bunch Cilantro
- 1 small Onion
- Queso Fresco
Instructions
- Place the bacon in a large pot or dutch oven and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Cook the bacon until it starts to crisp up. Add chorizo and crumble it with the back of a spoon, then cook until crispy.
- Stir in onions and jalapeño peppers until onions are slightly translucent.
- Add tomatoes, garlic, guajillo powder, and cumin, stirring constantly.
- Add hot dog sausages, mix well and cook for three more minutes.
- Put in beans plus the cooking water
- Cook for 20 minutes and then adjust with salt to taste
- Top with chopped cilantro, onions, and queso fresco.
- Serve with wheat or corn tortilla.
Notes
Serve with:
Warm Tortillas
Nutrition Facts
Calories
156Fat
9Sat. Fat
3Carbs
12Fiber
2Net carbs
10Sugar
2Protein
7Sodium
155Cholesterol
21
