Is there a simple way to make refried beans?

Question

This is a dish that I always eat when dining at Spanish style restaurants, but never seem to be able to replicate at home using black beans and olive oil. The main problem is that the beans seem to cook down to a soup consistency to quickly - any tips?

Answer 1

Standard Refried Beans (from a can)

• Heat your fat of choice (olive oil, lard, shortening) in a heavy pan
• Add this mash to the fat in blobs. The idea is to get as much surface area exposed to the fat as possible, because this is where the yumminess comes from, so, not a big blob in the middle of the pan. Preferably, several smaller ones
• After a time, start stirring the bean mash and fat together, then mix in the reserved whole beans. Thin with water or broth

Bonus:Roasted Garlic Refried Beans (from a can)

• Mash 1/3 of the beans coarsely in a bowl, using the back of a fork and a little water
• Peel a couple of whole garlic cloves. Leave them whole
• Put these in the fat as it heats. If the fat doesn't cover the cloves completely, you can either stir from time to time, or, better, tilt the pan so that the fat and garlic pool on one side
• When the outside of the garlic cloves are the color of milk chocolate, add the mashed beans as above
• Stir the mixture together, mashing the cloves into paste with the back of a wooden spoon. Add reserved beans, thin with broth or water

Answer 2

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/refried-beans-without-the-refry/detail.aspx

These are SO delicious, it makes a ton and they actually tend to be better (thicker and the flavor has settled in more) after refrigerating overnight. I have served these to a lot of people (I often make them for parties) and people are always impressed with the result and it is so simple!

Answer 3

I just use Rick Steins method and fry a little garlic or other flavouring in some oil and then add a can of beans with some of the juice and then mash and heat through. It doesn't work too badly and is very easy to do.