Ingredients:

1-lb. pinto beans

1 can a good quality Mexican beer

12 oz.-1-lb. thick sliced bacon

1-lg. chopped onion

cumin to taste

2-3 chopped or pressed garlic cloves

2-3 fresh jalapeños

1- 14.5 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 bunch cilantro

fresh cracked black pepper to taste

salt to taste & cilantro

Directions:

1. Pick & rinse 1-lb. pinto beans in colander place in lg. stock-pot/Dutch oven & cover w/1-gallon of water. Bring to a boil continue boiling for 10 min. Remove from heat, cover, & let stand for 1 hr.

2. After 1 hr., remove lid & bring beans back to a low, slow, rolling boil. Cook ‘til liquid has reduced down by about an inch/inch & 1/2 from original liquid level/line in pot. Add 1 can a good quality Mexican beer i.e.Modelo, that has been opened earlier & allowed to go slightly flat & at room temp. Place lid on a tilt on pot, but do not close completely. Keep at a heat where it just lightly bubbles, not rolling boil.

3. In a skillet, fry 12 oz.-1-lb. thick sliced bacon well, till right before it almost starts to burn. Drain on paper towels. Pour off grease & in same skillet, sauté 1-lg. chopped onion till translucent. During this time, you can sprinkle on the onions, cumin to taste, a little goes a long way w/this recipe. Add 2-3 chopped or pressed garlic cloves sauté till fragrant, approx. 2-3 min.

4. Add to pot, along with the bacon, plus 2-3 fresh jalapeños. This is left to your discretion, they can be left whole, halved, chopped, seeds left, or removed.

5. Add 1- 14.5 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes (Muir Glen is really good) w/juice. Chop 1 bunch cilantro. Add half to the pot now the other half at the end of cooking. Season with fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Continue to cook until desired tenderness, approx. 2 hrs. or so. Add salt to taste & cilantro.

Bon Appetit!