Borracho Beans

(AKA charro beans)

Ingredients

• 1 lb dry beans: pinto, Peruano (canary), Anasazi, turtle, or any similar variety
• 5oz bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1–2 white onions
• Plenty of oregano
• 2–3 bay leaves
• 1–2 bulbs of garlic, crushed and chopped
• 24oz beer (I prefer Miller High Life)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, crushed with a fork
• 2 small cans of diced tomatoes & green chiles (Ro☆tel)
• 4 tomatillos, chopped
• 1–2 packets of Sazón Goya (a seasoning available at any Latin American grocery)
• Ground cumin
• 2 bunches of cilantro
• The juice of 3 limes

Method

1. Pick over and wash beans. Soak about 8 hours. Drain and wash again. Put beans into crockpot and cover with water. Cook on high for 1 hour, then low for 3.
2. In a frying pan, render a little of the fat from the bacon. Soften the onions a little in the bacon. Add oregano, bay, garlic. Fry till garlic is soft & fragrant.
3. Add the beer to the pan and let it boil down. Then add the chipotle and diced tomatoes & green chiles.
4. Add the bacon/onion/beer/etc to the crockpot along with the tomatillos, Sazón Goya and a healthy sprinkle of cumin.
5. Cook on low another 4 hours or so.
6. Finish with cilantro and lime.

Notes

• Cooking time will vary depending on freshness and quality of the beans, phase of the moon, etc, etc.
• This recipe contains a lot of sour flavors: beer, tomatillo, lime. Adjust according to your taste.