The joy of glorious, delicious refried beans

Full of protein and flavor, this simple traditional dish belongs on every table — even yours!

Published October 3, 2022

By Janet Blaser

Had I ever even noticed, much less eaten, refried beans before I moved to Mexico? I think not. At restaurants, I always opted out, and I never bought a can of what I disdainfully thought of as a lard-filled throwaway that had no place in my pantry (or cooking).

Well.

Nowadays, my love of refried beans is a quiet secret I usually keep to myself. To me, they’re absolutely delicious; when I make them at home, I find myself licking the spatula as though it’s loaded with cupcake batter. (And, yes, I do that too.) But many expats I know don’t share my affinity for frijoles refritos — or, God forbid, frijoles puercos — for one main reason: the fear of lard.

I find this fear kind of a random parameter, and I have to ask those people: Do you eat bacon? How about the crunchy, yummy skin on a perfectly roasted chicken? Or the crispy fat on the edge of a grilled pork chop? Please. Come on, now. Manteca, i.e., lard, is a perfectly acceptable form of fat when used and eaten in moderation. (In the words of one of my foodie friends: “I have no problem with any kind of rendered fat.”)

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