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Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

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Frijoles Negros Refritos

March 12, 2014 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

When I placed my last order with Fireworks Foods, I’d intended to order refried black beans (frijoles negros refritos), but I ended up with whole black beans (frijoles negros enteros) by mistake…

I thought it was a great opportunity to try making my own frijoles refritos from scratch. A word of warning to my vegetarian friends – did you know that tinned refried beans have sometimes been cooked in pork lard? I only noticed this recently on the ingredients list.

Here’s my easy take on homemade refried beans. It’s loosely adapted from a recipe in Thomasina Miers’ fabulous cookbook…

  • 2 x 400g tins of whole black beans (preferably Mexican)
  • 50g lard (or butter or olive oil)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chilli powder (optional)
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander

1. Empty the tins of beans into the jug of a stick blender (you’ll probably need to do one tin at a time). Make sure to include both the beans and the liquid. Blitz with the stick blender until smooth…

2. In a heavy based pan (I used my baby Emile Henry risotto pot), heat up the lard until melted, then add the onions. Season with salt and pepper and fry until softened. Add the garlic, chilli powder and coriander, and continue cooking for a few minutes more…

3. Add the purêed beans and cook for another 15 – 20 minutes over a low heat, stirring frequently. The mixture will bubble like molten lava and gradually thicken – keep cooking until it reaches a consistency you’re happy with.

Serve as a side dish, a taco filling, or with corn chips. Note that the mixture starts to form a skin almost immediately, so if you’re not planning to eat it straight away, press a piece of parchment paper to the surface before storing in the fridge.

We served our frijoles negros refritos with these fantastic blue corn chips, also from Fireworks Foods. They’re locally made and arrive as triangular pieces of blue corn tortillas (with a shelf life of about three weeks in the fridge)…

They’re easy to fry up in vegetable oil to crisp and delicious, and as they’re unsalted, you can actually taste the blue corn flavour. Surprisingly, they absorbed very little oil during the cooking process…

We adore refried beans, so the entire batch was devoured with gusto at Saturday lunch. I caught Big Boy standing at the stove, scraping the clay pot clean with the last of the corn chips!

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Posted in Recipes | 47 Comments

47 Responses

  1. on March 12, 2014 at 12:24 am Glenda

    Hi Celia, Gosh … you try all types of cuisine. It is something new every week at your house.


    • on March 12, 2014 at 5:52 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Glenda, we do like to explore food a bit… :)


  2. on March 12, 2014 at 1:10 am Claire @ Claire K Creations

    Celia I can practically taste this along with feel the crunch of those chips!


    • on March 12, 2014 at 5:53 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Claire, you’d love this online shop – they have all sorts of things you can’t get anywhere else. Everything we’ve tried so far has been great! (PS. I can see you’re keeping mummy middle of the night hours.. hope you’re getting some sleep! xx)


  3. on March 12, 2014 at 6:27 am Liz Posmyk of Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things

    Interesting recipe, Celia. Even more interesting is the fact that those beans are fried in pork lard! Wow.


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Liz, I don’t think the supermarket refritos are, but the proper Mexican ones I bought definitely had pork lard on the ingredients list! :)


  4. on March 12, 2014 at 6:44 am Cecile

    You’re just like me – you love trying new things. My husband used to sometimes say to our sons, “Do you like this? Good – enjoy it – you’ll never see it again!” That was a real exaggeration but he did have a bit of a point! These beans look fabulous!!


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:52 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      We try lots of things, but when they’re good they get repeated – often! :)


      • on March 12, 2014 at 1:27 pm Cecile

        Actually – I repeated certain recipes often enough to make a cookbook for my twin sons and it makes me really happy to know they use it often! (I just made Crustless Quiche, which I’ll post tomorrow. It used to be one of my sons’ favorites!)


  5. on March 12, 2014 at 7:44 am theintolerantchef

    Love these Celia, we eat ‘mainstream’ Mexican about once a month so I might throw these in the mix for a better change. Have you been watching Peter Kuravita and his Mexican show on SBS? It’s really interesting to see the variety and yumminess that is so different from what I had expected xox


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:53 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Becca, I’ve been taping but haven’t really kept up with the shows – it’s been hard to find the time!


  6. on March 12, 2014 at 10:14 am Eha

    Can’t wait for my Fireworks Foods parcel to arrive: hmm, such an interesting place I did manage to spend about twice as much as planned :) ! To each their own – wish I liked the ‘Mexican Fiesta’ [Kuruvita] . . . . more his presentation than the Mexican food methinks, as I have not been particularly fond of his previous two series either! . . . as far as variety: huge fun for me. Start roughly every month say in Morocco and travel roughly east around the world probably staying the longest in the Middle East these days . . .


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:54 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Eha, I hope your parcel arrives soon – what fun! :)


  7. on March 12, 2014 at 10:49 am ChgoJohn

    This is excellent, Celia! I’ve oft wondered how refried beans were made and thought homemade would have to be better than anything store-bought. Now I’ve got to get me some beans and give it a shot.
    BTW … my CSA delivery came today and in it farm-fresh lard. Oh, boy!


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:55 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      John, Pete really liked the ones we made, but I think the flavour of the beans is an important starting point. The original recipe used boiled black beans, coriander root and fresh chillies – let me know if you’d like it. xx


  8. on March 12, 2014 at 11:52 am Linda Woodrow

    Love refritos. In Mexico they are often served under a fried egg, with a soft tortilla to mop it all up. I love them on quesadillas, and if I have it, add a squeeze of lime juice.


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:56 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Linda, I could happily subsist on refried beans, I think. I never get sick of the flavour! I love them with annatto rice and pulled pork!


  9. on March 12, 2014 at 12:10 pm Maria

    I am glad you used lard! It really makes a difference. In Mexico, we keep adding lard every time we re-fry them ( refritos). yummmmm


    • on March 12, 2014 at 12:57 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thank you! I didn’t just use lard, I used our home-rendered free range lard. The supermarket stuff we get over here isn’t very nice. Tamales next, I think! :)

      https://figjamandlimecordial.com/2013/04/15/a-lardy-cake-adventure/


  10. on March 12, 2014 at 1:10 pm hotlyspiced

    What beautiful bowls you served it in. I love the look of the corn chips. What a great meal and yes, we all love refried beans in this house too xx


    • on March 12, 2014 at 6:57 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Charlie, they’re from our Turkish shop which has now moved to 127 Willoughby Rd Crows Nest. It really isn’t all that far from you! :)


  11. on March 12, 2014 at 3:33 pm Three Well Beings

    I could easily live on refried beans. We mostly use pintos, but black beans once in a while are really a treat. Your tortilla chips look delicious, too!


    • on March 12, 2014 at 6:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      The black beans are sooo good, I think we like them much better than the pinto beans now! And I absolutely agree – I think I could live on them too.. :)


  12. on March 12, 2014 at 4:50 pm Maureen | Orgasmic Chef

    I love refried beans on nachos or tacos but I’ve never had them with black beans I don’t think. I’ve eaten black beans in other ways though. Everything looks SO good, Celia!


    • on March 12, 2014 at 6:58 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Maureen! The corn chips were such a winner – I’ve never had blue corn chips before, let alone ones we got to fry ourselves! :)


  13. on March 12, 2014 at 5:15 pm Rose

    Oh that link Celia! Thank you. Have you been watching Peter Kuruvita’s Mexican journey on SBS? It’s well worth a look at this lovely fresh take on Mexican food.


    • on March 12, 2014 at 6:59 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Rose, I’ve only seen the first episode, but I really enjoyed it! Liked his first series a lot too!


  14. on March 13, 2014 at 7:45 am The Life of Clare

    I love refried beans! You’ve just reminded me that I must make some more!


    • on March 13, 2014 at 11:09 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Clare, they’re perfect comfort food, aren’t they! :)


  15. on March 13, 2014 at 8:16 am andreamynard

    Not surprised it was all scoffed with gusto. Really want the Thomasina Miers book too!


    • on March 13, 2014 at 11:09 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Andrea, I’m a big fan of hers, and her book is wonderful!


  16. on March 13, 2014 at 10:06 am dianeskitchentable

    I guess this must have been a hit and it sounds like you got the pot licked clean. I’ve got a question about those chips – are they soft when you buy them? I’ve seen them in stores here but they’re in bags like potato chips, are already crunchy and have a shelf life of approximately 7 years, 9 months, and 3 days.

    By the way, I love that colorful bowl.


    • on March 13, 2014 at 11:11 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Diane, over here, corn chips are almost always sold as you describe – hard, crunchy, already fried and like potato chips. But Fireworks Foods sell their cut up tortillas, and they arrive soft like stale bread, and fry up beautifully! :)


  17. on March 13, 2014 at 11:08 am ramblingtart

    I absolutely adore black beans and grew my own for the first time this year. :-) I harvested my first beans last week and they are beautiful. :-)


    • on March 13, 2014 at 11:11 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      I love them too! How clever of you to grow them, Krista! :)


  18. on March 13, 2014 at 11:34 am Jan

    I just had to let you know that at the weekend I made ciabatta: it was good. When I was eating it – a little thought whispered to me ” I can’t believe I made this”. Thank you Celia.


    • on March 13, 2014 at 6:43 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      See Jan, when they ask “who’s the cleverest in the land?” the answer would be you. :) I’m so glad you made ciabatta! xx


  19. on March 13, 2014 at 11:51 am Anna Johnston

    Going to have to take your word on this one Celia. Not a fan of beans, no matter how hard I try, I just cant get into them. Those chips though… They look amazing. Looking forward to following you again Celia, I sure have missed you and your posts. :) Have a great week.


    • on March 13, 2014 at 6:43 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Hey Anna! There you are, how nice to see you! Hope you’ve been well!


  20. on March 13, 2014 at 1:59 pm Tandy | Lavender and Lime

    I’m sure yours tasted better having been made from scratch!


    • on March 13, 2014 at 6:44 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Tandy, it was delicious, thank you! :)


  21. on March 13, 2014 at 2:36 pm Lorraine Not Quite Nigella

    I really need to place an order there! Although I do have dried black beans from making this dip for Halloween :D


    • on March 13, 2014 at 6:46 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      The slime and pus dip! I’d forgotten about that! :)


  22. on March 13, 2014 at 7:34 pm Joanna

    Sounds just great, specially as I have freshly made lard sitting in the fridge! Is this a hot dip food, I don’t think I have ever had it? I think those beans are what I call black turtle beans or are they something different? I make them into a black bean soup sometimes, looks like a lava pool of molten mud. Has an almost meaty taste? I do like those chips! I have a tortilla press thing which I begged Brian for one Christmas and have never used, also that nixed cornmeal, maybe I should have a go, so many things to try, so many gadgets…. xxx


    • on March 13, 2014 at 9:00 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Yes, frijoles dip is how we first knew it – hot, with cheese and chilli salsa on top! I think the beans are black turtle beans, but I’m not sure. And yes, lovely mealy taste – adore it. We love our tortilla press, although these locally made soft corn chips that we fry up at home are very fine. xxx


  23. on March 15, 2014 at 9:05 am Jan Rhoades

    Very Creative Celia. I have made refried beans many times, but not from Mexican black beans. I love them. I think my first efforts would have been in the late 70s when recipes mentioned refried beans and nothing like that was available in the backwoods of surburban Brisbane. Times have changed thankfully, but I still do often cook refried beans and still love ’em!


  24. on March 15, 2014 at 9:49 pm My Kitchen Stories

    Love love love these beans Celai I always buy a couple of tins from Fiji markets when i am there. Yew they contain lard, oops but they are so delicious. Why didnt you break out a bowl of these why I visited you? .



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