Mexican Drunken Beans

I know what you're thinking, and yes, Corona is the best beer to use in this recipe. Corona is a little sweet, so you can afford to dial up the spicy without overpowering the whole dish.

Ingredients

1 lb dried pinto beans

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 serrano pepper, diced

1/2 lb bacon, chopped

1 (12-oz) can or bottle of lager-style beer

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bouillon cube

Pickled jalapeño slices, for serving

Preparation

1. Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough water to cover by about 3 inches. Let soak 8 hours or overnight.

2. Drain the beans and rinse thoroughly. Transfer to a large stockpot and add enough water to cover by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until the beans are soft, about 75–90 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and serrano and simmer until the tomatoes have softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking until the liquid begins to thicken, about 2–5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and rinse the skillet.

4. Cook the bacon in the skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels. Drain all but 1 tbsp of drippings from the skillet.

5. When the beans are done, drain them, reserving the cooking liquid. Stir the tomato mixture, bacon, beer, jalapeño, cilantro, and bouillon cube into the beans in the pot. Add enough reserved cooking liquid to reach a soup-like consistency. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are completely softened, about 30 minutes. Serve with pickled jalapeño slices.