Cowboys Ate This Bean Dinner On Repeat In The Old West

In the Old West, being a cowboy was hard work. Cattle herders traversed far distances over long days, all with constant exposure to the elements. Subsequently, a hearty meal was a cornerstone to the lifestyle; cowboys had a rotation of nutritious meals to choose from on the trail. Prepared by a dedicated chef, charmingly referred to as a cookie, an early morning and evening meal bookended days on the road. Several dishes were included in the dinner repertoire, and one of the simplest and most common was charro beans, a popular option in Mexico and the Southwest.

The food derives its name from charros, northern Mexican land-owning cowboys celebrated for their ranching skills and social status. It's believed this cowboy subculture created this bean dish to make use of readily available and shelf-stable ingredients. So while the precise ingredient composition varies, charro beans continue to reflect their trail origins.

Traditionally, salted pork forms the meaty foundation, with lard adding fat and carrying flavor. Further additions include onions, garlic, plus spicy chile peppers, all joined by a variety of herbs — say cilantro, oregano, or epazote. Pinto beans make for the star legume, although some use black beans, too. Crucially — unlike a batch of basic refried beans – the dish is cooked to a liquidy consistency, just a touch thicker than a soup, and the beans retain their form. Charro beans are simple to make, yet hearty, sustaining, and flavorful, no doubt explaining their popularity during cowboy times.

To this day, cooks continue to prepare charro beans in a similar manner to their 19th-century origins. A sturdy Dutch oven atop a campfire lays the foundation of the dish. The practical cooking vessel can be placed right onto hot embers, allowing the charro beans to slowly simmer away. With some exposure to the smoke, the fire will even further flavor the dish, lending the charro beans added character. Alongside a stack of tortillas, it's a pragmatic one-pot meal that comes together wherever you happen to be camping for the night.

Cooks have spun off such a handy foundation, riffing on charro beans in numerous ways. Although you can use a Dutch oven in the oven or stove, the recipe also translates well into an Instant Pot recipe, allowing for a more hands-off approach. Some renditions now leave out the meat altogether, forming a vegan alternative, while others layer in even more meats like chorizo, bacon, and chicharron. You'll also find newfound grocery items — like canned chipotle peppers and store-bought broth — ease the dish's construction. Nevertheless, the food's cowboy foundations remain, making charro beans a centuries-old classic.