Frijoles Puercos Estilo Jalisco

Frijoles Puercos Estilo Jalisco

A rich, savory Jaliscan snack of mashed pinto beans cooked with chicharrón, chorizo, and melted cheese — traditionally eaten on warm tortillas or crisp tostadas as a hearty botana.

Prep

20 min

Cook

50 min

Total

70 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) dried pinto beans, or 3 cans (about 480 g drained) of pinto beans as a shortcut
• •1 L (4 cups) water, for simmering the beans
• •1 small white onion, halved
• •2 cloves garlic, smashed
• •1 tsp epazote, optional but traditional; aids digestibility of beans
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •200 g (7 oz) chicharrón (pork rind), crushed; the defining ingredient — substitutions will not yield the authentic taste
• •150 g (5 oz) Mexican chorizo, casings removed
• •100 g (3½ oz) queso asadero or Oaxaca cheese, shredded; can substitute with mild mozzarella
• •50 g (1¾ oz) queso cotija, crumbled, for finishing
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil
• •1 to taste (to taste) warm corn tortillas or tostadas, for serving

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the dried pinto beans under cold water and pick out any debris. Place them in a large pot and cover with 1 L (4 cups) of water. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, then drain and discard the water (this removes flatulence-causing compounds and impurities).
2. 2 Return the beans to the pot, add fresh water to cover by about 5 cm (2 inches), then add the halved onion, smashed garlic, epazote (if using), and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer, cover partially, and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours (or 40–50 minutes in a pressure cooker) until the beans are very tender. Skim any foam that rises.
3. 3 Once the beans are fully tender, drain them, reserving about 250 ml (1 cup) of the cooking liquid. Discard the onion and garlic. Mash the beans with a potato masher or the back of a spoon, adding reserved cooking liquid as needed to reach a thick, spoonable consistency. Season to taste with additional salt.
4. 4 While the beans cook, prepare the toppings: heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the crumbled chorizo, and cook for 6–8 minutes until well-rendered and crispy. Break it into small pieces. Remove with a slotted spoon. In the same pan, briefly fry the crushed chicharrón for 1–2 minutes just until puffed and hot — do not overcook or they turn bitter. Set aside.
5. 5 In a clean skillet or comal, lightly warm the shredded quesillo/asadero just until soft and melty.
6. 6 To assemble, spread a generous layer of warm mashed beans on each tostada or across warm corn tortillas. Top with the cooked chorizo, a generous handful of crushed chicharrón, the melted cheese, and finish with crumbled queso cotija. Serve immediately while hot so the chicharrón stays crisp.