StewsMedium

Frijol con Puerco (Black Beans with Pork)

Name: Frijol con Puerco (Black Beans with Pork)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 Red onion; 500 g Pork (costilla o espaldilla); 1 Habanero chile; 1 bunch Fresh cilantro; 2 sprigs Epazote; 500 g Bean negro; 4 Rabanos; 10 g Salt; 3 Tomatoes

4.0(1 rating)

150 min (30 prep + 120 cook) Medium 6 servings Yucatan

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 20, 2026 · Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Yucatecan black bean stew with pork served with roasted tomato-habanero sauce and fresh garnishes.

About this recipe

Frijol con puerco is a classic of everyday Yucatecan cooking, traditionally eaten on Mondays. Black beans are simmered with chunks of pork until both are tender and flavorful. It is served in a deep bowl bathed in chiltomate (roasted tomato and habanero sauce), with radish, cilantro and red onion. A humble dish bursting with flavor.

History & Origin

Frijol con puerco is the Monday dish in Yucatan, a tradition so deeply rooted that restaurants and fondas across the Peninsula offer it as the dish of the day every start of the week. This custom has practical roots: Sunday was market day and families bought fresh beans and pork to prepare this comforting stew the following day. The dish is a perfect example of Yucatecan subsistence cooking, where simple ingredients are transformed into something extraordinary thanks to the condiments and sauces that accompany it. The chiltomate, a roasted tomato sauce with habanero chile, is the soul of the dish and provides the characteristic heat of peninsular cuisine. The black beans used are the variety that grows on the Yucatan Peninsula, smaller and with a more intense flavor than other varieties. Tradition dictates that frijol con puerco be accompanied by white rice, chopped radish, fresh cilantro and red onion pickled in bitter orange juice, creating a complete and nutritious dish that has fed generations of Yucatecans.

Estimated cost

$10.93

Total cost

$1.82

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

28g

Protein

38g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

10g

Fiber

550mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Soak the black beans the noche anterior. Drain and place in large pot with water fresh, epazote and a onion partida. Cook over medium heat.
💡 If using pot express, reduce the tiempo a 40 minutes.
2
When the beans have been cooking for 30 minutes, add the pieces of pork (rib or shoulder) and salt. Continue cooking for 1 more hour or until both are tender.
💡 Do not add salt at the start or the beans will take longer to cook.
3
Prepare the chiltomate: roast the tomatoes and the habanero directly over the flame or on a comal (flat griddle) until well charred. Blend with salt.
💡 Roast the habanero whole so it gives flavor without too much heat.
4
Frie the chiltomate in a little oil for 5 minutes until thickened and oscurezca. Set aside.
5
Finely chop the red onion, the cilantro and the rabanos. Prepare estos condimentos in platitos separados.
💡 You can curtir the red onion in orange juice agria.
6
Serve the frijol con puerco in deep plates, drench with the chiltomate and serve with the fresh garnishes and white rice.
💡 Traditionally eaten on Mondays all over Yucatán.

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Edmond Bojalil

Founder, Recetas Mexas

Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.