Tex-Mex Pork and Beans Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This hearty and flavorful recipe combines tender pork carnitas with savory beans and spices in a way that will forever change your mind about pork and beans.

This is my adaptation of a recipe by Roberto Santibañez from his book, Truly Mexican. I modified the spices a bit for my taste, but in inspiration came from Roberto. By the way, it's a great cookbook.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Tex Mex

Keyword pork and beans, tex mex chili, tex mex pork and beans

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2 45

Servings servings

Calories 584kcal

Cost $16

Ingredients

1 lb pinto beans dried, rinsed and picked over
2 ¼ qrts water about 9 cups
½ cup white onion chopped
2 teaspoon kosher salt
5 cloves garlic peeled
8 guajillo chiles dried, stemmed and seeded
12 árbol chiles dried, stemmed and seeded
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano dried
¼ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1 cup water
4 cups carnitas meat cooked and shredded (see separate recipe)
3 slices bacon thick-cut, chopped
½ cup white onion finely chopped
kosher salt
¼ cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

Prepare the Beans

Soak the beans overnight in cold water per the package directions. Drain the soaking liquid and place the beans in a 4 qt pot with the garlic and onion. Add enough water to cover the beans. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Add the salt and stir.

Chili Sauce

Heat a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-low heat and toast the árbol chiles for about 2 minutes turning them over frequently. Add the guajillo chiles and toast for another minute, turning them frequently. Remove from the heat. Pressing down on the chiles will help the toasting process.
Add cold water to cover the chiles and soak until softened, about 25 minutes. Drain and discard the water.
Place the soaked chiles in a blender with the garlic cloves, cumin seeds, Mexican oregano, black pepper and water. Blend to form a smooth mixture, about 3 minutes.

Assemble the Pork and Beans

Lightly sear the carnitas meat in a non-stick pan over medium heat.
Combine the cooked beans (along with the liquid), carnitas meat and chili sauce in a 4 - 5 qt Dutch oven and simmer over low heat.
Cook the bacon in a small skillet until browned, about 6 minutes. Add ½ cup of onion and cook until the onion has softened, about 5 more minutes. Transfer this mixture to the Dutch oven with the beans and stir. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Top with chopped onion and cilantro and serve.

Notes

Note: Many markets carry precooked carnitas meat that is perfect for this recipe. I have made this recipe from store-bought precooked carnitas meat and I have made it from my own carnitas meat. Honestly, it's hard to tell the difference.

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