My friend and neighbor asked me if I had a recipe for charro beans. At that point in time I did not, but said that I would eventually make a recipe for her. They have a little bit of a kick from the Rotel, but you could always decrease the amount added. Bacon is used instead of a ham hock and the bacon will give the beans a smoky flavor. However, you could easily replace the bacon with a ham hock if you want a very smoky flavor. These will even taste better the next day, when the flavors have blended. I made them early afternoon, so there was enough time for the flavors to blend. I served them with our recipe Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a Chihuahua Smoked Salt Seasoning. They would also go great with our recipe Fish Tacos or our Beef Fajitas or Chicken Fajitas recipes.
Ingredients
Beans
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 lb. of bacon diced
1/2 cup of a yellow onion diced
1 large garlic clove or 2 small garlic cloves crushed through a garlic press
3 – 16 oz. cans of pinto beans undrained
1 – 10 oz. can of Rotel brand Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis
1 teaspoon of adobo seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
Garnish (optional)
Sour cream
Cilantro
Technique
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large deep pot. Add bacon and onions and sauté until bacon is crisp and onions are soft. (I know some cooks don’t think that bacon can get crisp with the combination of the onion, but it can and did for me. However, feel free to sauté them separately.) Add garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer for at least an hour stirring often. Ladle into bowls and add sour cream and garnish with a sprig of cilantro. The cilantro is optional, but I highly recommend the sour cream.
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