Do you know what makes canned refried beans so delicious? Lard. Not even kidding. Next time you are at the grocery store check it out. It really sets the good brands above the generic ones as far as taste is concerned. But…lard?? I have a hard time buying it now. Luckily, I found a super easy and pretty declicious recipe (from here) for refried beans in the crock-pot. Check it out.
Crock-Pot Refried Beans
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
- ½ fresh jalapeno or other hot pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- One big pinch of cumin
- 6 cups water
- Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
- Cook on high for 8 hours or overnight while you are sleeping.
- Remove the bigger onion chunks and drain the excess liquid. If desired, save excess liquid until the final product is desired consistency.
- Mash remaining beans with a potato masher and voila! You have homemade refried beans.
Can’t get easier than that, right? They tasted pretty good too. We ate them by themselves with cheese, dipped chips in them, and put them in burritos with veggies. They lasted about four days! We usually have beans about twice a week around here, because it is a money saver, and packs in the protein we are lacking in the meat department. I bought a 25 pound bag of beans in JULY and have only used about 1/4 of it. Talk about getting your money’s worth. It’s a good investment and a versatile food. I am slowly building a relationship with these little babies. Right now we are in the “good friends” stage, but things are heating up and I think I might be ready to take this to the next level! I’ll keep you posted.
