Frijoles Refritos con Manteca
Frijoles Refritos con Manteca·(free-HOH-less reh-FREE-tos kohn mahn-TEH-kah)
Chapter 5 — Drinks, Sides & Desserts: The Complete Spread
If you want to know why the tacos and burritos you make at home never quite taste like the ones from that legendary spot tucked into a Los Angeles strip mall, look at your beans. To a true taquero, beans aren't an afterthought—they are the creamy, savory anchor in a tightly wrapped Mission-style burrito and the essential counterweight to a sharp, acidic salsa verde pressed fresh in a molcajete. The secret isn't frying them twice; it's frying them well. And to do that, you must use pure pork manteca to forcefully emulsify the rich fat with the starchy bean broth until it reaches a soul-satisfying silkiness. Do not use canola oil. When you smear these across a hand-stretched tortilla double-warmed on a carbon-steel comal and top it with carne asada sliced thin across the grain, you will finally say, 'Yes. This is exactly what the place on Mission Street tastes like.'
Before you start
Soak the beans overnight.
Place your picked-over pinto beans in a large bowl, cover them with 3 inches of cold water, and let them sit on the counter overnight. A true taquero knows that soaking yields a creamier interior.
Ingredients
- dried pinto beans1 lb
- white onion1/2 large
- garlic4 med clove
- kosher salt1 tbsp
- salt pork1 small piece
- pork lard1/2 cup
- white onion1/2 large
- serrano chiles2 med
- bean broth2 cup
Method
- 01
Simmer the beans with aromatics until tender.
Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the intact half-onion, smashed garlic cloves, and salt pork. Cover with about 2 inches of fresh water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately drop to low, cover, and gently simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- 02
Season the beans with salt.
Do not add the salt until the beans are soft enough to easily crush between your thumb and forefinger. Stir in the kosher salt and let simmer for 15 more minutes so the seasoning penetrates the beans to their core.
- 03
Infuse the manteca.
Place a large, wide cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet over medium-high heat. Melt the manteca, then aggressively fry the diced white onion and minced serrano chiles. Stir often until the onions turn translucent and take on a deep, golden-brown char (about 6 to 8 minutes). Do not rush this step; you are fundamentally flavoring the fat.
- 04
Initiate the Maillard reaction.
Using a slotted spoon, scoop the cooked pinto beans out of their pot and drop them into the bubbling manteca, discarding the boiled onion and garlic. Let the beans fry undisturbed for about 60 seconds to violently sear and brown the bean paste on the bottom of the skillet.
- 05
Mash and emulsify the beans.
Take a sturdy potato masher and aggressively mash the beans directly in the skillet. As they drink up the fat and look dry, ladle in 1/2 cup of the starchy bean broth. Keep mashing to force the pork fat and starchy water to emulsify. Continue ladling in broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until the beans reach the creamy, rustic consistency of thick hummus.
- 06
Adjust consistency and serve.
Taste generously for salt. Serve immediately in a wide, shallow bowl alongside your massive taqueria spread. If they thicken while sitting on the stove, simply stir in another splash of bean broth right before serving.
Notes
The ultimate restaurant cheat code.
If you made Carnitas (from Chapter 2), swap out half of the fresh manteca for strained, heavily spiced leftover carnitas fat. This infuses the beans with profound umami and background notes of oregano and citrus.
Make the base beans ahead of time.
The frijoles de la olla (boiling step) can be done up to 4 days in advance. Let the beans cool in their liquid and store them in the fridge until you are ready to heat up the skillet and fry.