I take the idea of borracho beans (drunken beans) from Mexico and cross them with traditional Texas beans. Texas beans are not sweet and thick like baked beans, they are savory, firm beans, with a bit of spice. What results is, I believe, one of the greatest BBQ side dishes ever. And you could just serve it as a main dish with some crusty bread and Shiner Bock!
I personally use Rancho Gordo beans, which are much different from the several years old dried beans you get in the grocery store. If you can get Rancho Gordo beans, you won’t regret it. If not, then prepare the beans according to the normal method. Soak for 12 hours and then boil for 30 minutes. Then follow the rest of the recipe. If you use Rancho Gordo beans, there is no need for the soak and boil preparation at all. Just put the beans in and cook.
Tips and Tricks
Meat - no need to go buy meat specifically for the beans. Use some leftover meat from another cook. Ham, pork shoulder, brisket, chuck roast, etc. If you do need some meat, get something cheap like hamhocks or maybe a ham steak. If you get hamhocks (yum) make a stock first :-)
Beer - my personal favorite for this is Shiner Bock. But any decent lager will do. Don’t use something like Coors or Budweiser or a Pilsener of any sort, they are too hoppy and you won’t like how it changes the flavors. A lager of some sort will help add richness and flavor.
Ingredients
16 oz dried beans (2X 15 oz canned beans if you insist)
12 oz Shiner Bock or other good lager
4-8 oz meat — ham, brisket, pork shoulder, chuck roast, whatever.
24 oz chicken stock (or stock made using that hamhock or ham bone)
4 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 can whole, diced, or crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
2 jalapeños, diced
We will cook in a stockpot or Dutch oven on the stove top .... I use a 4.5 quart Dutch oven
Method
All the ingredients for a pot of Eric’s Drunken Beans .... in the ziplock bag is 12 oz of homemade stock using a ham bone
I used leftover pork shoulder, about 6 oz worth, this time.
Sautéing onions, garlic, and spices in bacon fat
Added ham stock, tomatoes and beer to the pot. Now to finish covering with some chicken stock and bring to a boil .... 5 minute boil and then simmer for hour several hours.
They are done ..... notice the beans aren’t split .... simmer gently. Add jalapeños right at the end.
Served as a side dish with ribs
I personally use Rancho Gordo beans, which are much different from the several years old dried beans you get in the grocery store. If you can get Rancho Gordo beans, you won’t regret it. If not, then prepare the beans according to the normal method. Soak for 12 hours and then boil for 30 minutes. Then follow the rest of the recipe. If you use Rancho Gordo beans, there is no need for the soak and boil preparation at all. Just put the beans in and cook.
Tips and Tricks
Meat - no need to go buy meat specifically for the beans. Use some leftover meat from another cook. Ham, pork shoulder, brisket, chuck roast, etc. If you do need some meat, get something cheap like hamhocks or maybe a ham steak. If you get hamhocks (yum) make a stock first :-)
Beer - my personal favorite for this is Shiner Bock. But any decent lager will do. Don’t use something like Coors or Budweiser or a Pilsener of any sort, they are too hoppy and you won’t like how it changes the flavors. A lager of some sort will help add richness and flavor.
Ingredients
16 oz dried beans (2X 15 oz canned beans if you insist)
12 oz Shiner Bock or other good lager
4-8 oz meat — ham, brisket, pork shoulder, chuck roast, whatever.
24 oz chicken stock (or stock made using that hamhock or ham bone)
4 slices bacon
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 can whole, diced, or crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 bay leaves
2 jalapeños, diced
We will cook in a stockpot or Dutch oven on the stove top .... I use a 4.5 quart Dutch oven
Method
- In a bit of olive oil, cook bacon until the fat is rendered. Reserve the bacon
- Add onions and cook in bacon fat until translucent, about 10 minutes
- Add the cumin, pepper, garlic, bay leaves and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes
- Add the beer and deglaze the pot
- Add the tomatoes, meat, beans, stir together
- Add enough stock to cover the beans and meat by at least one inch
- Bring to a boil for 5 minutes
- Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook about 3 hours
- Check every so often and if the beans are getting too thick, add some stock
- About 2 1/2 hour mark, start checking the beans for done. Done is when they have a clean bite, but are firm not mushy.
- Once done, add the jalapeño.
- Let stand off the heat for 20 minutes and then serve
All the ingredients for a pot of Eric’s Drunken Beans .... in the ziplock bag is 12 oz of homemade stock using a ham bone
I used leftover pork shoulder, about 6 oz worth, this time.
Sautéing onions, garlic, and spices in bacon fat
Added ham stock, tomatoes and beer to the pot. Now to finish covering with some chicken stock and bring to a boil .... 5 minute boil and then simmer for hour several hours.
They are done ..... notice the beans aren’t split .... simmer gently. Add jalapeños right at the end.
Served as a side dish with ribs
I'll be givin em a try, soon! 
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