[bg_collapse view=”button-orange” color=”#4a4949″ expand_text=”Show More” collapse_text=”Show Less” ]

Tonight I am going to cheat and use doctored Old El Paso canned refried beans as a side with dinner. When I have time however, or wanna go for the WOW factor, I make this in the pressure cooker…

There is no doubt however, that while this recipe calls for a white onion, Zoey DEFINITELY prefers it with a red onion (bit more subdued)

Ingredients Pressure Cooked Beans:

• 1 pound dried pinto or black beans
• Water
• 4 sprigs fresh epazote (see note above) or oregano
• 1 white onion, 1/2 minced (about 1/2 cup), 1/2 left whole
• 4 medium cloves garlic
• Bay Leaf
• 6 Tbsp tablespoons lard, bacon drippings, vegetable oil, or butter
• salt

Ingredients Refried Beans:

• 1 Red onion (diced)
• 2 tablespoons lard, bacon drippings, vegetable oil, or butter
• Chopped Coriander

Pressure Cooker Directions:

1. Presoak the Beans: 6 to 8 hours before you cook the beans, dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt into 6 cups of water. Add the beans (you may want to rinse them first to remove any residual dust and dirt) and cover with a plate or a towel.
2. Drain the Beans: When the beans are done soaking, drain them in a colander or sieve. Place the pressure cooker on the stove and add the drained beans.
3. Add the Aromatics: Add 8 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, garlic, bay leaf, oregano and oil to the pot.
4. Cook the Beans: Secure the lid according to instruction manual and turn the flame up to high. Keep an eye on the pot and when it reaches high pressure, reduce the flame to medium/medium low and start timing the beans. (15-20 minutes)
5. Natural Release: When the time is up, turn off the heat. Allow the pot to cool down and release pressure naturally. Follow your instruction manual to determine how you will know when the pot is ready to be opened.
6. Remove the Lid: Unlock and remove the lid, tilting the lid away from you and allowing any condensation to drip back into the pot. Using a slotted spoon, fish out and discard the onion, garlic and bay leaf.
7. Reserve Bean liquid for refried and can be frozen for soups
8. Use or Store: Your beans are now ready to use. If you want to store them, measure out 1 1/2 cups of beans into 2-cup storage containers. Add liquid to cover, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Seal and store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to one year. Be sure to label the jars with date and contents.

Refried Beans Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat lard, bacon drippings, or oil until shimmering, or butter until foaming, over medium-high heat.
2. Add minced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and lightly golden, about 7 minutes.
3. Stir in beans and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup of reserved bean-cooking liquid.
5. Using bean masher, potato masher, or back of a wooden spoon, smash the beans to form a chunky purée; alternatively, use a stick blender to make a smoother purée.
6. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until desired consistency is reached; if refried beans are too dry, add more bean-cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Season with salt

[/bg_collapse]