They say, “Home is where the heart is,” and sometimes “home” can be a traditional dish that you whip up and share with those you love.
The warmer weather is here and that usually means more gatherings with family and friends coming together to share meals made from the heart. One of my favorites is Frijoles Charrós.
At any of my family’s get-togethers, this dish is usually there, and the first to be gone. Not many add chicharrón to the dish, but it is one of my favorite ingredients. I love to use freshly made chicharrón, but if you do not have any, you can use some from your local store. I love the added “traditional” ingredient from my family’s annual matanza, where we butcher a home-raised pig. Chicharrónes are always cooked first; you will see all involved snacking on fresh out of the pot chicharrón, while the red chile, pork meat, and all the other portions of the pig are being cooked. Chicharrón with a bit of meat not just the skin in the Frijoles Charrós give it a great texture and add a bit of crunch.
There are many variations to this dish. The added chicharrón and the carrots from the pickled jalapeños are unique to my family’s recipe. I enjoy the many flavors and textures that result from those two additions; it is like a delicious surprise with every bite.
Today, I am sharing the recipe for Frijoles Charrós because every time I make it, I receive loads of compliments and am asked to bring this dish to future events. So, I am delighted to share my recipe with you all.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. of beans
- 1 28oz can of pickled peppers
- 1 packet of bacon
- 1 small packet of weenies
- Cilantro (to your liking)
- 1 8oz packet Chicharrón
- Lime (optional)
Instructions
- First, make your pinto beans as you normally would. Leave them on a slow simmer.
- Next, cut up your weenies and bacon. Fry them up in a separate pan. Once done, toss them into the beans.
- After you have added the weenies and bacon, if you have homemade, pickled jalapeños, carrots, and onions, even better, but if not, you can use any store-bought pickled jalapeños, toss those in (juice too). I like the extra flavor from the pickled carrots in the beans.
- Finally, while everything is mixing together, add in your chicharrón and cilantro. Let it simmer just a bit more to fully combine. (The chicharróns and cilantro are added last to avoid becoming mushy.)
There you go!
I usually serve my Frijoles Charrós with freshly squeezed lime. You may also enjoy this recipe with freshly made chile de árbol for an extra spicy kick.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe just as much as my family, friends, and I do.
Recipe by Tess Ortega and originally published in Focus on Carlsbad 2021 Summer edition.