Frijoles Puercos, Michoacan

Frijoles Puercos, or “rich beans," is Michoacan’s answer to plain refried beans. This is not a shy dish. Bacon renders its fat, chorizo fries in that same fat, tortilla squares crisp up in it too, and then everything comes together with frijoles de olla, whole chilies, queso anejo, and chicharron.

Each layer adds something different. The bacon and chorizo bring smoky, spiced pork flavor. The chicharron melts slightly into the hot beans, adding a porky richness that’s hard to replicate any other way. Queso anejo softens without fully melting, keeping its crumbly, salty bite.

Timing is everything at the end. The tortilla squares go on last and need to be served right away before they lose their crunch.

Pro Tips

• Render the bacon slowly over low heat. You want the fat, not crispy burnt bits. That fat is what flavors the chorizo and tortillas
• Fry the chorizo gently too. Browning it makes it grainy and dry instead of soft and crumbly
• Use frijoles de olla (pot beans) as the base. Canned pinto beans work in a pinch, but the brothy pot liquor from scratch beans adds body
• Serve immediately once the tortilla squares go on. They go from crunchy to soggy in minutes

Variations

• Vegetarian take: Skip the meats and use lard or oil for frying. Double down on the chicharron substitute with fried pork rinds or crispy tortilla strips
• Queso swap: Cotija works well if you can’t find queso anejo
• Spicier version: Add a chopped serrano or two alongside the whole chilies