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

Chopped fresh cilantro

1 bouillion cube

Pickled jalapeno slices

Directions

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

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

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

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

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