Have you ever wanted to try to create your own version of a dish, and didn’t know where to start? After researching many different recipes, I created my own version. Borracho beans, or bean soup is made “drunken” by the addition of beer.  Otherwise you’d have charro beans. Either way you like them, they are tasty! Enjoy!

1 lb dry pinto beans, picked, rinsed, and soaked overnight
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed to release the oils
2 small ham hocks or 1 smoked ham shank*
2 qrts water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 tbsp borracho bean seasoning
1/2 c cilantro, rough chopped
1 16 oz jar of salsa (I prefer the Herdez Casera Red Sauce)
1 12 oz beer (I prefer Shiner Bock)
1 cerrano pepper,split in half (optional for spice)

Pick your dry pinto beans, removing rocks, dirt and withered beans. Place beans into a large bowl; rinse well with cold water. Cover the beans with 6 c cold water for 8 hours or overnight. When ready to use, drain water.

To a large stock pot, boil the onions, garlic and ham hock* in 2 qrts of water for 1 hour. Add the salt, pepper and bean seasoning, cilantro, beans, salsa, beer, and pepper (if using) to the pot. If too much liquid has evaporated, add more water to the pot. The beans should be covered with the liquid.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 more minutes, or until the beans are tender. (If you prefer a slow simmer, this process can take up to 2 hours.) Taste and adjust seasonings. If using the meat for the soup, remove, allow to cool slightly and pick it from the bone. Enjoy!

*while ham hocks provide an amazing smoky flavor to the beans, using a smoked shank, provides more meat, which can be picked off of the bone a served along side the soup. Ham hocks tend to also be a bit richer since they have more fat, so use a shank if you would like a leaner soup.