Borracho Beans Recipe (Frijoles Borrachos)
These borracho beans (frijoles borrachos) simmer pinto beans low and slow in Mexican beer with smoky bacon and chorizo. Also called drunken beans, they cook up rich, hearty, and full of flavor, the perfect Mexican and Tex-Mex side dish for taco night or anything off the grill.
Servings: 12 cups
Calories: 298kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pounds dried pinto beans
- .5 pound thick-cut bacon chopped (about 5 thick slices)
- 8 ounces Mexican chorizo casings removed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers chopped (use serrano for more heat)
- 5-6 garlic cloves chopped
- 12 ounces Mexican lager beer 1 bottle - see NOTES for other flavor options
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes canned - I love fire roasted
- 3 cups chicken broth or more as needed
- 1 tablespoon chili powder see flavor variations in NOTES
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 0.5 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 0.5 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 lime juiced (plus wedges to serve)
- 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste (go light, the bacon and chorizo are salty)
- 0.5 cup cotija or queso fresco crumbled (to garnish)
Instructions
- Place the dried pinto beans in a large pot or bowl. For an OVERNIGHT SOAK, cover with a few inches of cold water and let sit 8 hours or overnight. For a QUICK SOAK, cover with a few inches of water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, then cover, remove from heat and let sit 1 hour. Either way, drain and rinse before using.
- Heat a Dutch oven or large pot to medium heat and add the bacon. Cook 5 minutes, until the bacon starts to crisp and renders its fat. Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving the grease in the pot.
- Add the Mexican chorizo to the pot and cook 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it up, until cooked through and rendered. Spoon off the excess red fat, leaving 1-2 tablespoons.
- Add the onion and jalapeno peppers. Cook 5 minutes to soften. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Pour in the Mexican beer to deglaze the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Let it bubble 2 to 3 minutes to cook off the harsh alcohol edge and mellow the bitterness.
- Add the reserved bacon, drained beans, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, and bay leaf. Hold the salt for now. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Cook 90 minutes to 2 hours, until the beans are tender to your liking. Check at 90 minutes and add a splash more broth or water if it gets too dry.
- Stir in fresh cilantro and top with freshly squeezed lime juice. Taste and adjust salt now that everything has simmered together.
- Discard the bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and garnish with cotija or queso fresco, extra cilantro and lime wedges. BOOM. Done.
Notes
SOAKING THE BEANS: Soaking helps the beans cook evenly and shortens the simmer. Step 1 covers both an overnight soak and a quick soak, so use whichever fits your schedule. In a pinch you can skip soaking, but add 45 to 60 minutes to the simmer and extra broth as needed.
CHORIZO NOTE: Use fresh Mexican chorizo (the soft, raw kind), not cured Spanish chorizo, so it crumbles and renders into the broth. Spoon off the excess after browning and leave just enough to cook the aromatics, or the beans can turn greasy.
OPTIONAL SMOKED HAM: For an even meatier pot, stir in 1 cup diced smoked ham along with the beans. It is already cooked, so it just needs to warm through and adds nice smoky flavor alongside the bacon.
SLOW COOKER: Brown the bacon, chorizo, and aromatics first, then add everything including the soaked beans to the slow cooker. Cook on high 4 to 5 hours or low 7 to 8 hours, until the beans are tender.
CANNED BEANS (quick version): Skip the soaking. Saute the bacon and chorizo, drain the excess fat, then cook the aromatics. Deglaze with the beer, then add 3 to 4 cans drained pinto beans, the tomatoes, about 1 cup broth, and the seasonings. Simmer 20 to 30 minutes so the flavors come together.
BEER: A dark Mexican lager (Negra Modelo, Dos Equis Amber) or a light lager (Modelo Especial, Tecate) both work. See the post for how each one changes the flavor.
CHILI POWDER VARIATIONS: Swap the standard chili powder for ancho, guajillo, chipotle, or New Mexico powder to change the whole personality. Full breakdown in the post.
MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE: Even better the next day. Store in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Loosen with a splash of broth when reheating.
NO-BEER VERSION: Skip the beer and make my Charro Beans instead, same family, simmered in broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 261mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 388IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3mg