Inside: Charro Beans is an authentic Mexican recipe that is mainly consumed in the northern part of Mexico and is commonly served alongside carne asada.
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What are Charro Beans and how do you make them?
Charro beans is a Mexican style soup, consisting of pinto beans submerged in a broth full of amazing flavors. The flavors come from many different types of meat like beef franks, chorizo, ham, and bacon.
In some parts of Mexico they add pork rinds and beer to change the flavor up a little bit.
Even though the most popular way to make this is as a thin soup, there are some other variations in which you can add corn starch to thicken it up a little bit.
If you choose to do that, it ends up looking more like chili con carne, which is a popular dish here in the United States.
Charro beans are an excellent option to go along with any type of grilled meat and also tacos. Just like I love eating pozole on cold days (which we have a lot of here in Colorado), I also love enjoying charro beans on those days as well.
You can add some heat to it by including chipotle peppers or jalapeños together with the tomato, onion, and cilantro.
One tip that I will give you in order to make this recipe a little bit easier is to cook the pinto beans in your slow cooker. Since you are starting with uncooked beans, you have to cook them separately first before adding the rest of the ingredients.
If you do this in the slow cooker, it will still take some time (around 3 hours), but it is easier than having to cook them over the stove and making sure that the water doesn’t evaporate.
It will also allow you to get started on the other parts of the recipe without worrying about the beans.
Charro beans is just one of many great authentic Mexican recipes that you can find on my site. If you are following along, here are some of my other favorites:
- Pozole
- Guacamole
- Flautas
- Tostadas
- Polaca Style Chicken
- Veracruz Style Fried Tilapia
- Tuna Stuffed Avocados
PRODUCTS USED TO MAKE CHARRO BEANS
Slow Cooker:You don’t have to use a slow cooker to make these, but you definitely can. I love this slow cooker – it works perfectly and I use it many times per week.
Food Chopper:When you are going to chop up a lot of vegetables like you do for the pico de gallo that you serve with these charro beans, it is helpful to have a food chopper like this one on hand. It seriously makes everything so much easier!
Pinto Beans:You are going to need a lot of pinto beans to make this recipe. You can find bags of them anywhere, including online. When I make Charro Beans, I tend to make a lot of extra beans so that I can eat them in other recipes throughout the week. Here is a 25 pound bag if you are looking to stock up.
Serving Bowls:There is something about charro beans that always makes me want to serve them in these rustic looking, wooden bowls. I don’t know if it makes them taste better, but it sure seems to! You can get some of my favorites here. They are especially great if you are serving these at a Mexican themed party.
I really hope that you will try this recipe out and be sure to let me know how it turns out in the comments below!
Charro Beans - Authentic Mexican Recipe
Charro Beans is an authentic Mexican recipe that is mainly consumed in the northern part of Mexico and is commonly served alongside carne asada.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: charro beans, cowboy beans, mexican bean soup
Servings: 8 Cups
Calories: 619kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz uncooked pinto beans
- 5 slices bacon cut into smaller pieces
- 3 beef franks cut into cubes
- 1 cup ham cut into cubes
- 1 pound Mexican chorizo
- 2 tomatoes diced
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro chopped
- 1/2 onion diced
- jalapeño if desired
- 1 more chipotle peppers depending on how spicy you want it
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- pepper oregano, paprika, cumin, and salt to taste.
Instructions
To Cook the Pinto Beans - Stove top
Add the rinsed beans to a large pot with plenty of water, salt, and a small piece of onion.
Let boil for about 1.5 hours, checking often to make sure that there is still enough water.
To Cook the Pinto Beans - Slow Cooker
Add the rinsed beans to a slow cooker with plenty of water, salt, and a small piece of onion.
Turn the slow cooker on to high and heat for 3 hours.
To Make The Charro Beans
Add the bacon to a large pot and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the chorizo and continue cooking until cooked through.
After about 5 minutes, add the ham, the beef franks, and the seasonings (including the garlic).
Next, add the tomatoes, the cilantro, the onion, the jalapeno, and the chipotle pepper and cook for 5 additional minutes.
Finally, add the cooked pinto beans and the water that they were cooked in and let boil for about 15 minutes so that all of the flavors can combine.
If you want to thicken your charro beans, you can combine 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 1/4 cup of cold water and mix well before adding it to the pot.
Serve hot as a side dish or on its own.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Cup | Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1212mg | Potassium: 1197mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 8.6mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 4.3mg
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FAQs
So how are borracho beans different than charro beans? They're both extremely similar, but only borracho beans are simmered in beer. Charro beans follow a similar recipe method, but without any alcohol. They're instead cooked in chicken stock or beef broth.
What kind of beans do Mexican restaurants use? ›
The pinto bean is perhaps one of the most common type of beans used in most Mexican dishes. Like the black bean, the pinto bean is also loaded with nutritious elements including high fiber and protein. Pinto beans are served both whole and mashed, which will become the refried bean.
What kind of beans are charro beans made of? ›
Charro beans (AKA frijoles charros or cowboy beans) are a popular Mexican dish consisting of pinto beans in a boldly flavored broth with other types of meat (chorizo, bacon, ham), chili peppers, tomatoes, and spices. Its consistency os similar to soup and it can be served as a main dish or side dish.
Do Mexicans soak beans before cooking? ›
Mexican cooks don't pre-soak beans. They just add beans to water and get on with the cooking. No soaking or draining for them.
What beans do Mexicans eat the most? ›
Pinto beans are one of the most common types of beans and considered to be one of the most popular for northwestern Mexico and the United States. In fact, its scientific name, Phaseolus vulgaris, literally means “common bean.”
What to put in beans to prevent gas? ›
Sprinkle in some baking soda
As it turns out, baking soda significantly decreases the levels of raffinose, the gas-causing sugar present in beans. When should you add baking soda to beans? It works best with just a pinch (about 1/16 of a teaspoon) sprinkled into dried beans while they soak in water before cooking.
Do most Mexican restaurants use lard in beans? ›
LARD. It remains a staple in traditional Mexican cooking, showing up in dishes like refried beans, tamales, carnitas and more. But unfortunately, not all restaurants cook with it, instead opting to use cheap industrially-processed vegetable oils instead.
Do Mexicans eat more black beans or pinto beans? ›
Pinto beans are primarily used in Mexican and Southwestern food. You can find them in spreads, dips, burritos, wraps, tacos and quesadillas. The most popular form of pinto beans is refried beans. Black beans, on the other hand, are mostly used in Latin American, Caribbean, Creole and Cajun food.
What herb do Mexicans cook with beans? ›
Epazote (pronounced eh-puh-ZOE-tay) is an herb native to Mexico and Central America that is perhaps best known for its carminative, or gas-relieving, properties. Cooked with a pot of beans, this herb can lessen the “negative effects” and adds a distinctive savory, earthy flavor.
What do Mexicans call beans? ›
Beans are known by many different names in Spanish-speaking countries. Depending on who you ask, they'll say these legumes are called “frijoles”, “porotos” or even “habichuelas”. No matter the naming variations, one thing is true: beans are a staple in most, if not all, Latin American cultures.
In this article, we'll be sharing 20 of the best Mexican foods that you absolutely must try.
- Tacos al pastor. These tacos are made with marinated pork that is cooked on a spit and then sliced thin. ...
- Enchiladas. ...
- Tamales. ...
- Chiles rellenos. ...
- Pozole. ...
- Guacamole. ...
- Sopaipillas. ...
- Tortas.
Your cooked beans last about 3 to 5 days in the fridge. To store them, let the beans cool down after cooking, then pop them in the refrigerator within an hour. Getting them stored quickly and chilled in the fridge will help prevent the growth of bacteria.
What happens if you don't soak beans? ›
Others, like Joe Yonan, the Food and Dining Editor of the Washington Post and author of Cool Beans, insist that in most cases, soaking is unnecessary– and may even lead to flavor loss. The only consensus is that soaked beans take less time to cook than unsoaked.
Why discard bean soaking water? ›
Fun Fact: Discarding the soaking water and rinsing beans can help make cooked beans more digestible. Some people choose to save the soaking liquid because some nutrients are leeched from the beans into the liquid during soaking. We prefer to drain our soaking liquid but you can decide what works best for you.
Why do you rinse beans right before cooking? ›
Even if you are not concerned about sodium, in most cases it's a good idea to rinse canned beans. Rinsing beans can improve the flavor and texture of the final dish and can help cut down on how much gas they produce.
What are borracho beans made of? ›
Borracho beans (from borracho meaning "drunk" or "drunken"), also referred to as drunken beans or frijoles borrachos, is a traditional dish of both Mexican and Southern Texas cuisines made of pinto beans cooked in beer and flavored with cilantro, onion, garlic, bacon, bacon fat, cumin, and chili powder or whole chili ...
Why are they called frijoles borrachos? ›
Borracho Beans (or Frijoles Borrachos in Spanish) translates to “drunken beans.” They're called this because the beans are cooked in beer. But don't let the name fool you – these beans won't leave you feeling boozy. The entire recipe contains only one 12-ounce beer, which translates to one ounce per serving.
Are borracho beans healthy? ›
Slow Cooker Borracho Beans are a healthy and delicious side dish for any of your favorite protein-packed entrées.
What kind of beans did Cowboys cook? ›
The dish is characterized by pinto beans stewed with onion, garlic, and bacon. It is unclear how cowboy beans got their name or where they originated. They are easy to prepare and variations on the recipe are available on the Internet and in cookbooks and cooking magazines.
