OK, first of all, I just love the name of this recipe. It makes me giggle. I get a picture of two pinto beans stumbling out of a bar, and down the street, with sombreros on.

Weird? Ya, I know, sometimes my brain just goes to crazy places . Just hang on and go along for the ride with me OK? Thanks!

Seriously though, I have been wanting to make these beans since we went to a progressive dinner through 3 different restaurants, thanks to Negra Modelo. We had so much fun, as well as some tasty drinks, and delicious food. Everyone was so nice, foodies, bar folks, everyone together to just have a good time, and EAT. My kinda people!! If you haven't read that post you can see it here.

In that post I go on and on about the food, yes, but these beans......OhhEmmmmGeeeee! As soon as I had them I knew I had to make them at home. I had heard of drunken beans before, and y'all know about my obsession with Mexican food, but for whatever crazy reason, I had never given them a try at home. So I jumped online, Google, Pinterest, I pulled up sooooo many recipes. Then I kinda ran with it, subbing some of my fave ingredients. 

I am honestly surprised that I had any beans to take a picture of, because I was "tasting" as I went, and then Kevin got in on it. It was like simmer, simmer, simmer, gobble, gobble, gobble. We both stood over the pan like we hadn't eaten in weeks!

I, of course, had to make these several more times during the next week. We had them in burritos, in tacos, on tostadas, and oohhhh don't even get me started with how good they are with a nice runny sunny side up egg on top (like in these Huevos Rancheros Verdes)!!

I think these might have been the magical beans that Jack used! Why? Well, they got Kevin to eat Mexican food, several times, for over a week.......and he LIKED it ! 

If that ain't magic, I don't know what is!!

Drunken Beans

By Bobbi Burleson

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (12-ounce) Mexican beer (I used Negra Modelo
• 4 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon Mexican Oregano
• 2 teaspoons red chile powder
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 lime, juiced
• Fresh cilantro, chopped
• Queso fresco cheese, crumbled

Equipment Used

Instructions

1. Cook bacon in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until crispy, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a separate plate. Set aside.
2. Reserve 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the saute pan and add the onion and poblano. Saute for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the beer, beans, oregano, chili powder, salt and cumin, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the beans reach a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, and continue simmering uncovered for about 20 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the bacon and lime juice.
4. Serve the beans topped with cooked bacon, chopped cilantro and queso fresco cheese.

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Nutritional information via Calorie Count