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Homemade Refried Beans (with instant Pot hack!)

Homemade Refried Beans made from scratch. Versatile and seasoned as you like! Enjoy the flavor of cooked beans refried with your personal touches . Cook the beans in your instant pot to save TONS of time. Delicious and SO frugal!

Homemade Refried Beans
homemade refried beans in the works!

Way WAY back in the day I lived about two years in a tiny cabin in the woods. No running water, no electricity… or phone(way before cell phones). No front door or steps, or even an outhouse for several months! An amazing adventure in living!

I did have one essential tool though. I had a 1920 era Mc Clary’s wood Cook stove in perfect working  condition.

Mc Clary Wood Cookstove
This is just like the one I used for two years. It was my salvation! Here’s the link to the page  I found this wood stove on

That stove did everything for us. Heated the cabin, our water (hauled in by five gallon buckets); cooked our food and heated the water for washing  dishes, and us! The first year it even heated the green, wet wood, (to dry it out) it would  burn to perform all it’s wonderful duties.

Those were interesting times for me, fresh out of the city. That was a time full of learning about a new rhythm of living. It was in that cabin I learned to use everything, even my bacon fat, and leave as little to attract rodents and other undesirables, to our cabin in the woods. I had some old cookbooks that taught me to cook everything from scratch, including homemade refried beans, and that is what I did.

I always had a pot of beans bubbling on the wood stove. Next day I would decide what to do with them. If bacon fat was sitting in my cast iron frying pan, refried beans was often on the menu! Full of fiber and nutrients and really really cheap! Pinto beans make sense when stretching a dollar, as I was! I didn’t often have all the trimmings to do a Mexican meal. But refried beans are so good all you really need is a fork, and maybe some shredded cheese.

If you do have the trimmings these make an excellent meal with burritos, Taquitos or enchiladas. Use them in the recipe, or as a side. Yummy either way! I made these yesterday for Beef Taquitos with homemade Flour Tortillas and took them to a tailgate party. You see… I had this frying pan of bacon fat and some dried pinto beans…. delicious results. Those Taquitos and refried beans disappeared fast!Homemade Refried Beans

Here’s How to Make Homemade Refried Beans:

  • Soak your Pinto beans in a large pot of water overnight. (OR see below for Instant Pot instructions)
  • Next morning, drain out the water, add fresh water to cover your soaked beans (this helps to reduce the gaseous side effects) and turn them up to boil.
  • Keep an eye on your boiling beans and add water as necessary so they don’t get dry.
  • When they are tender, drain your beans.
  • Cut an onion, pepper and garlic up fine and throw them into the bacon fat(more bacon fat equals more flavor). Cook them on medium a couple of minutes and then add your drained beans.
  • Let the beans cook with supervision and keep turning them over until they start to mush up. Add water as necessary to keep the beans moist so they won’t stick.
Homemade Refried Beans
mash those beans!
  • When the beans start to break down it’s time to mush them up. You can use a fork, a potato masher or anything  you have to  mush up those beans and keep frying them and season to taste.
  • Keep cooking them until they are as soft and mushy as you like. Totally pureed, like the canned stuff your used to may require a blender; if you want them really smooth. We like ours with some texture, so do as you please and Enjoy those beans!
  • Here’s your printable recipe:

    STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS:

    Soak the beans in a large pot of water the night before.

    Boil the beans for two hours or until soft and then drain out the water.

    Fry the onion, peppers and garlic in the bacon fat until soft.

    Put the drained beans in the large frying pan with the bacon fat and season.(dripping, crusties on the bottom of the frying pan are great flavorers)

    Fry the beans on medium and stir them around occasionally until they break down and form a mush.

    Add water as needed to prevent the beans from drying out and adjust the water and seasonings as desired for your preferred consistency and taste.

    INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:

    • Pour the UN-SOAKED dried pinto beans, water into the instant pot.
    • Close the lid.
    • Push the vent button to SEAL.
    • Push the manual button and press the + button until the number read out says 30 minutes.
    • After pot is done-Natural release for best flavor and total doneness.

    NOW Finish the recipe in your skillet as directed. You just saved TONS of time using your instant pot to cook the beans!

    Making Homemade Refried Beans In A Skillet. Refrying Cooked Pinto Beans Is A Very Frugal Way To Add Delicious Flavor To Your Mexican Meals. Add Your Own Touches And Use Your Instant Pot To Make This Whole Process A Snap! Read More On Homemade Food Junkie! #Refriedbeansrecipes #Beanrecipes #Mexicancooking #Mexicancuisine #Mexicanrecipes
    Yield: 12 Cups

    Homemade Refried Beans (With instant Pot instructions)

    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

    Homemade Refried Beans made from scratch. Versatile and seasoned as you like! Enjoy the flavor of cooked beans refried with your personal touches . Cook the beans in your instant pot to save TONS of time. Delicious and SO frugal!

    Ingredients

    • 4 Cups uncooked dried Pinto beans
    • I onion chopped fine
    • 2 cloves garlic chopped fine and smashed
    • 2 tsp. chili powder
    • 1 Tablespoon cumin
    • 1/4 Cup jalapeños chopped fine as desired
    • 2 to 4 Tablespoons Bacon fat
    • Water as needed, 8 Cups of water if using the instant pot
    • Fresh cilantro for garnish

    Instructions

    STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS:

    1. Soak the beans in a large pot of water the night before.
    2. Boil the beans for two hours or until soft and then drain out the water.
    3. Fry the onion, peppers and garlic in the bacon fat until soft.
    4. Put the drained beans in the large frying pan with the bacon fat and season.(dripping, crusties on the bottom of the frying pan are great flavorers)
    5. Fry the beans on medium and stir them around occasionally until they break down and form a mush.
    6. Add water as needed to prevent the beans from drying out and adjust the water and seasonings as desired for your preferred consistency and taste.

    INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:

    1. Pour the UN-SOAKED dried pinto beans, water into the instant pot.
    2. Close the lid.
    3. Push the vent button to SEAL.
    4. Push the manual button and press the + button until the number read out says 30 minutes.
    5. After pot is done-Natural release for best flavor and total doneness.
    6. NOW Finish the recipe in your skillet as directed. You just saved TONS of time using your instant pot to cook the beans!

    Notes

    The time on this recipe varies widely. The recipe is giving you the time using your instant pot. If you soak the beans to night before add several hours to overnight.

    Nutrition Information


    Amount Per Serving Calories 258

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    Katerina

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    I love Mexican and I always enjoy my beans! Your beans look fantastic especially with the bacon fat!

    Sandra

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    I never go the extra step and refry pinto beans, but after looking at your delicious recipe I want to make a big batch! Have your tried freezing them?

    homemadefoodjunkie

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    I have never tried to freeze refried beans. They are so good we never have any left!

    Joy

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    Yum, these beans with the bacon fat sound so good!

    homemadefoodjunkie

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    The flavor is outstanding Joy!

    Nicky

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    I didn't know you lived for 2 years in a rustic cabin. My husband would love that. Me not so much. I make refried beans too, but i don't put the same spices. I'll have to try your version next time.

    homemadefoodjunkie

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    I'd love to know how you make refried beans Nicky. We should compare notes!

    Betsy @ Desserts Required

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    I am somewhat embarrassed to admit this one but I love refried beans and had NO idea that people actually made them at home! How you conquered two years in the cabin is a feat unto itself.

    Pinning this for later because I KNOW I want to make a batch!

    homemadefoodjunkie

    Friday 21st of August 2015

    Lol. I was MUCH younger then, Betsy. Refried beans make a lot of sense on a wood cookstove. I always had a pot of beans soaking for refrying or soup. It was a different way of life for sure.

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