Frijoles Charros

Pinto Beans with Chorizo & Bacon

This smoky, meaty bean soup is a northern Mexican staple—served hot as a side or starter that packs serious flavour. Pinto beans are slow-cooked with pork feet, crispy bacon, spicy chorizo, tomato, onion & a splash of jalapeño pickle brine for a cheeky kick. It’s bold, hearty & unapologetically Mexican.

SPICINESS

SERVES

8

COOKING TIME

30min + cooking the beans

Ingredients

  • 500 g pinto beans
  • 3 pork feet
  • 1 head garlic
  • 2 onions
  • 200 g smoked bacon
  • 1/2 bunch coriander
  • 4 chorizos
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 tin Mexican jalapeño rajas pickles
  • Salt & pepper
  • Oregano

Cooking Instructions

  1. Clean the beans & soak them in water for at least 3-4 hours.
  2. Drain the soaked beans & put them in a pot with half an onion & garlic head. Add enough hot water to cover the beans by about 10 cm. Turn the heat on medium-high.
  3. In another pot, add the washed pork feet & boil for 5-10 minutes to get rid of any impurities. Then, add it to the beans pot, which should already be boiling & let them cook together.
  4. In a pan, add the bacon with a little oil & cook it until it’s nice & crispy. Once done, take it out of the pan.
  5. Slice the chorizo & fry it in the same pan with the bacon fat.
  6. Dice half an onion & tomatoes. Once the chorizo has been fried a bit, add the onion. Once it goes translucent, throw in the tomatoes, a pinch of salt, pepper & oregano. Add the bacon back in & a bit of water to make it saucy.
  7. After 1 hour 45 minutes of cooking, check if the beans are soft & well-cooked. If they are, add the bacon & chorizo mixture to the pot. Add as much of the rajas as you like for heat & salt to taste.
  8. Let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes, then taste & add more salt if needed.
  9. Finally, slice up some fresh coriander & stir it into the soup before turning off the heat.
  10. Serve hot in a bowl.

¡Buen provecho!

 

 

 

 

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