Name: Charro beans
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 160 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb dried pinto beans; ½ yellow onion; 2 garlic cloves, smashed; 2 bay leaves; 1½ tsp kosher salt; ½ tsp Mexican oregano; Water, as needed; 8 oz bacon, diced; 1 cup cooked ham, cubed; ½ yellow onion, diced; 1 jalapeño, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 3 Roma tomatoes, diced; 1 chipotle in adobo, minced; ½ tsp ground cumin; Salt to taste; Chopped cilantro

At the stove

Sort and rinse beans. Put them and the remaining bean ingredients in a pot, with water reaching 3 inches above them.
Boil, then cover and simmer gently for 1½–2 hours, until tender. Check water after an hour; replenish as needed.
Drain, saving 4 cups of broth; top up with water if short. Remove bay leaves.
Render bacon over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Add ham, onion and jalapeño; cook 5 minutes.
Add garlic for 30 seconds, then tomatoes, chipotle and cumin for 10 minutes.
Return beans and reserved broth; bring to a boil. Taste for salt and finish with cilantro.

Charro beans

Ingredients

Beans

Bacon & vegetables

At the stove