The magical fruit meets bacon and beer.
That’s right, today we’re talking drunken beans. Also known as frijoles borrachos. Or if I were given the naming rights to this one, which I guess I am, I’d probably go more along the lines of Bacon and Beer Simmered Beans.
Whatever you call them, though, these guys have been on my Mexican food cooking bucket list for awhile. I somehow only discovered them a few years ago at a local Mexican restaurant. (Where had they been all my life?!) And ever since, I instantly order them whenever I spot them on a menu. I mean, is there any way to go wrong with beans simmered in dark beer and bacon?! Not in my book. Well, my only complaint is that most people simmer these guys low and slow for hours, and I usually tend to be fairly impatient when it comes to wanting Mexican food right now.
So I created a 30-minute drunken beans recipe that is way more my style. And way easy. And way good.
For those of you who’ve never tried drunken beans, they are basically just that — pinto beans simmered in dark Mexican beer, bacon, onions, a handful of seasonings, and topped with cilantro. Most of the alcohol from the beer boils out during cooking, and you’re left with some seriously savory, soupy, and scrumptious frijoles. I went with Negra Modelo beer to get that nice, deep, dark flavor, but really just about any beer would work.
Here’s how to make ’em…
Begin with your bacon. Mmmmmbacon.
Dice up a few slices, then fry them in a large saute pan or medium saute pan until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, and leave about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan.
Then saute the onions and jalapeno up in that bacon grease for extra bacon-y flavor.
Add your beer…
…and frijoles…
…and a few seasonings. Then let ’em simmer for about 20 minutes on medium-low heat.
Then serve warm, and sprinkle on a little cilantro for freshness. And dive in with a spoon. :)
Ok, after staring at these photos for an hour, I’m off to make another batch with my leftover beer. So frijole-flippin’ good. Cheers!
Drunken Beans (Frijoles Borrochos)
Ingredients
- 4 pieces (uncooked) bacon, diced
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and diced (add an extra jalapeno for more heat)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (12-ounce) bottle dark Mexican beer (I used Negra Modelo)
- 4 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a separate plate. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the saute pan, discarding the extra. Add the onion and jalapeno, and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the beer, beans, brown sugar, oregano, chili powder, salt and cumin, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue simmering uncovered for about 15 minutes.
- When ready to serve, stir in the bacon and lime juice. Then serve the beans topped with fresh cilantro.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Made these for a family gathering. Rave reviews from everyone! Thanks so much!
Hi Ali ! Great recipe! I made it vegan so skipped the bacon. I wanted to give some use to the left open cans of beer from last wknd haha and it worked very well! The beans are delicious ! I started with the raw beans added more beer water and left them until soft but yes, definitely tasty ! Thank you for sharing ! I’ll be sharing this soon on my Instagram ! I’llbe sure to tag you ! ?
I made this recipe just as directed. The beans were pretty good, but I don’t think they were any better than my other recipes that don’t take as much time and effort. I expected them to be really special , but I like my regular black-eyed peas and pinto beans just as much. I doubt if I will make these again.
I made this as the recipe called for, and I didn’t care for it. It had a overwhelming beer tang. I will definitely be making again, but without the beer.
These are the best beans I have ever had. Amazing!
Got it right!
I NEVER take the time to leave reviews, but I just had to for this recipe. These beans were ahhh-mazing!!! So easy to make to. I made them to go with tacos before I had back to school night for my kiddos. I ate them with dinner and then had more when I got home after BTS night and I’m eating more for lunch now. Definitely my new favorite side dish for Mexican food. Thank you!!!!
Made this recipe for the first time and absolutely loved it! Perfectly complimented my carnitas tacos!
I made this recipe two weeks ago. You’ve got a major winner here. At 64 my husband is going vegetarian 4 days a week and this one is a real treat for those other 4 days.
OMG! SO EXCITED that I found this recipe! I had borrochos beans down in Texas at a BBQ place and have never found a recipe to replicate them! PLUS, I was looking for a side dish to make with Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti (Mexican flavored with Rotel) and was coming up empty! I will try for dinner this weekend and report back! ;)