Refried Bean Chili

We had to be out around dinner time on Friday night and decided to eat out. We have a favorite Mexican restaurant in the city so we decided to scare up a 4HB meal there. One of the dishes we had was chili. We have never had it made this way. It was very similar to refried beans except with meat and the appropriate seasonings added. We just loved it!
Here is a recipe that should get you close. Experiment with your own seasoning mix for your own perfect flavor. That’s always the key to a great dish! I’m going to try toasting more of the cumin and chili next time. This recipe makes a very large saucepan full. For a small group you can easily cut it in half.Ingredients:2 c. dry pinto beans, 1 lb ground meat of your choice, 5.5 oz can tomato paste, 1/2 onion, 4 cloves garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper Instructions: Start by soaking two cups of pinto beans overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans, then put them in a pot with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the beans are soft – say 35 minutes to one hour depending on how long you soaked them.

Drain the beans, keeping the brine for later. The next step is to mash the beans or grind them in a food processor. Use some of the brine to help lubricate the beans. Using a food processor will help make a nice homogeneous mixture like canned refried beans that you purchase.

Finely chop the onion and garlic. Preheat a large skillet with about 3 tbsp grape seed oil. Place 1 tbsp of cumin and 1 tbsp of chili powder in the hot oil to toast. After a couple of minutes add the onions and garlic, then brown the meat. By this time you will have reduced the heat to about medium. Add the tomato paste and blend everything together.

Next add the mashed beans and any brine that you have left. Mix everything together and allow it to reduce down to the desired consistency. At this time you will want to add more chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to season to your taste. If you like it spicier you can add some hotter seasonings like cayenne pepper or jalapenos. It’s easy to cook this dish for too long. If it seems thick to you add a little hot water to thin it out. The chili dish that we enjoyed in the restaurant was about the consistency of oatmeal. It makes a great side dish, or it can be your main source of meat and beans for a 4HB dinner. Enjoy!