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Charro Beans

Name: Charro Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 110 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 500 g Frijol pinto seco; 150 g Tocino ahumado; 150 g Chorizo mexicano; 100 g Chicharrón de cerdo; 3 Jitomate maduro; 1 Cebolla blanca; 3 Chile serrano; 1 bunch Cilantro fresco; 1 to taste Sal y pimienta

110 min (20 prep + 90 cook) Medium 8 servings Nuevo León

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 11 Mar 2026 · Updated: 19 Mar 2026

Hearty northern Mexican bean soup with bacon, chorizo, and pork cracklings.

About this recipe

Charro beans are a hearty soup from northern Mexico that combines cooked beans in their broth with bacon, chorizo, pork cracklings, tomato, onion, serrano chile, and cilantro. It is a robust and flavorful dish served as a main soup at barbecues, ranch parties, and family gatherings. Unlike simple pot beans, charro beans include a base of animal protein that gives them a smoky, deep flavor. They are typically prepared with pinto or bayo beans and served piping hot with flour tortillas. Their name references the charros, traditional Mexican horsemen, as this was the food prepared on the cattle ranches of northern Mexico.

History & Origin

Charro beans originated on the cattle ranches of northern Mexico, particularly in Nuevo León, Coahuila, and Chihuahua, where cowboys and charros needed substantial dishes to sustain them through long working days. The abundance of pork in the region allowed them to enrich humble beans with bacon, chorizo, and pork cracklings. During rodeo and jaripeo festivals, charro beans were cooked in enormous pots over wood fires to feed dozens of horsemen. The recipe gained popularity throughout Mexico in the mid-20th century thanks to northern-style barbecues, which became a Sunday tradition. Regional variants exist: 'frijoles borrachos' (drunken beans) use beer instead of water, Sinaloa's 'frijoles puercos' include more pork varieties, and in Sonora they are made with machaca (dried beef). The classic Monterrey version remains the most recognized nationwide.

Estimated cost

£12.00

Total cost

£1.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

340

Calories

18g

Protein

30g

Carbohydrates

16g

Fat

Fibre

720mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Si no tienes frijoles ya cocidos, prepara los frijoles pinto siguiendo la receta de frijoles de olla: cuécelos en agua con cebolla y ajo durante 1.5-2 horas hasta que estén tiernos. Reserva los frijoles en su caldo.
💡 Puedes usar frijoles de olla del día anterior o incluso frijoles de lata escurridos con caldo adicional.
2
En una olla grande a fuego medio, fríe las tiras de tocino hasta que estén crujientes y hayan soltado su grasa (unos 5 minutos). Retira el tocino y reserva sobre papel absorbente.
3
En la misma grasa del tocino, fríe el chorizo desmenuzado durante 5 minutos, rompiéndolo con una cuchara de madera, hasta que esté bien cocido y dorado. Añade la cebolla y los chiles serranos, cocina 3 minutos más.
4
Agrega el jitomate picado y cocina 5 minutos hasta que se deshaga. Incorpora los frijoles cocidos con TODO su caldo. Añade el chicharrón troceado y el tocino crujiente reservado.
💡 El chicharrón se ablandará con el caldo y le dará una textura única.
5
Lleva a ebullición, baja el fuego y cocina a fuego lento durante 30-40 minutos, removiendo ocasionalmente, hasta que el caldo espese ligeramente y los sabores se integren. Rectifica la sal.
6
Sirve bien caliente en tazones hondos, espolvoreado con cilantro fresco picado. Acompaña con tortillas de harina calientes.