Borracho Beans

Borracho simply means ‘drunken’ in Spanish.  These pintos are cooked in a dark Mexican beer to give them a nice deep flavor.  A squeeze of fresh lime at the end really brightens them up!  They are the perfect accompaniment to the Garlic Rubbed Flank Steak I’m cooking up for Fathers Day!

serves six to eight

1 Anaheim chile or 1/4 canned diced green chiles
3 slices smoked  bacon (not maple flavored), chopped
1/2 cup diced white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño (seeded or not), minced
2 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced or 1 cup canned petite diced tomatoes
1 bottle Negro Modelo, or other dark Mexican beer
2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch ground cloves

For serving:
Lime wedges

If you are using a fresh chile, roast the chile over high heat on the grill or on the burner of your stove until is is charred all over. Place in a brown bag or seal in a container until it cools. Peel away the skin; remove stem and seeds, then dice.

Heat a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, add the bacon and cook until just crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease and return to the heat and add the onion. Sauté onion for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté for 1 minute, then add the remaining ingredients (including the chile and bacon). Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes. The flavors will mellow and deepen as the alcohol cooks out of the beer.  Serve hot or at room temperature with a squeeze of lime.

Cheers and Happy grilling!