How Do You Make Refried Pinto Beans?
If you’ve never had the real thing before, the tastiness of this homemade version will surprise you. Serves 8. Inspect the pinto beans carefully by placing 1/2 cup of beans at a time on a plate and discarding any stones or bad beans. Place the beans in a strainer and rinse under cold water. Put the beans and 8 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any gray foam that comes to the surface as the beans boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion and let the beans simmer rapidly for 30 minutes. Add the salt and oregano and continue to simmer for another 1 1/2 hours or until the beans are very soft. In a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan, heat one tablespoon lard, bacon drippings or canola oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add a cup of the beans and their juice. Using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pan while they fry. The beans should have a fairly smooth consistency with small chunks of whole beans here and there. Place the beans in a l
