Frijoles Charros (Mexican Cowboy beans)

Smoky, meaty and a little spicy, this traditional Mexican dish is hearty, creamy and satisfying. Recipe below.

INSPIRATION FOR THIS DISH CAME, APPROPRIATELY, ON A COLD, WINDY DAY, as we stood in line to order from a taco truck in Milwaukee. It was the much loved Lonchera El Tapatio Taco Truck, a fixture north of downtown. The tacos were delicious, as were the burritos, but what really caught our attention was their frijoles charros, or Mexican cowboy beans. Hearty, smoky, meaty and slightly spicy, they could be a satisfying meal in their own right. Of course, we had to make some.

Frijoles charros is a traditional Mexican dish named for Mexican cowboy horsemen, or charros. It is a meaty bean stew made with pinto beans, multiple meats, chile peppers, onions, tomatoes and cilantro. It has a creamy, soupy consistency not unlike chili, making it perfect for cold weather, but honestly delicious anytime.

We said “multiple meats.” Typically, frijoles charros may have more than one meat, including ham, sausage, Mexican chorizo, bacon or other pork. Many recipes (too many, we think) even call for sliced hot dogs. We went with bacon and chorizo. The kinds and volume of chile peppers also vary from recipe to recipe. We used fresh jalapeño and canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the latter for the smokiness it adds.

This dish is best made with dried pinto beans, not canned. As they cook, they break down a bit, adding to the creaminess of the finished stew. Presoaking the beans takes some time, but we offer a quick presoak solution in the recipe. We’re already seeing frijoles charros as a delicious occasional alternative to our chili, a year-round favorite in our house.

Print Pin

Frijoles Charros (Mexican Cowboy beans)

Hearty, smoky, meaty and a little spicy, this traditional Mexican dish is hearty, creamy and satisfying.

Course Main Course, Stew

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried pinto beans
• kosher salt
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (homemade or store-bought)
• 3 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 ounces Mexican chorizo (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1 medium yellow onion chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (remove seeds and ribs if you prefer less heat)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 medium cloves)
• 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1 14- ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems

Instructions

• Presoak the beans. We prefer the quick presoak method. Rinse beans, put them in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and cover with cold water by 2 to 3 inches. Add 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, bring the pot to a boil and let it boil, uncovered, for about 2 minutes. Cover the pot and turn the heat off. Let the beans soak for about 2 hours. (You can also use the slower traditional presoaking method, putting beans in a large bowl and filling with enough cold water to cover by at least four inches; add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and stir to dissolve, then soak 8 to 12 hours.) Drain the beans and rinse.
• Combine beans, broth, water, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until beans are just tender, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Add chorizo (removing from casings if if not loose) and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until just cooked through, 4 minutes or so.
• Add onion and jalapeño, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and chipotle pepper, and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the liquid is thick, about 3 minutes.
• Add tomato mixture to beans in the Dutch oven, and continue cooking uncovered, stirring occasionally, until beans are completely creamy and liquid has thickened into a creamy broth, about 20 minutes or longer. Adjust seasonings with salt, if needed. Discard bay leaves, stir in cilantro and serve.

Kitchen Notes

Mexican chorizo—and substitutes. First, you want Mexican chorizo, not Spanish. While Spanish chorizo is a dried, smoked sausage, Food & Wine says that “Mexican chorizo is a fresh, crumbly sausage also made with a mixture of ground pork and fat and seasoned with garlic plus a blend of chiles. Since Mexican chorizo is neither cured nor smoked, the sausage is marinated in a combination of acids such as vinegar or sour orange juice, along with spices like cinnamon, cumin, and oregano.” It is sometimes sold loose, but more often in casings. If you can’t find chorizo, use Italian sausage, ground pork or ground beef. The seasonings will be different or lacking, so do try to find it. Markets that cater to Hispanic customers generally stock it.

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. These canned peppers are available in most supermarkets. Don’t fret that you’re only using one. These will keep forever in your fridge in a sealed glass or plastic container. They help add to the smoky flavor of the dish.