Like many slow-simmered recipes, this one is better the second day. The liquid is thicker, and the flavors are blended, so the bacon flavor is more subtle. If you're not familiar with serrano peppers, do note that they're quite a bit hotter than jalapeños, and provide quite a kick when they get soft enough to break open in the pot of beans. I've found that one, simmered whole and then broken with a spoon and stirred around provides a moderate amount of heat, which is always easier to add than subtract, of course. This is a good base recipe that lends itself to a lot of experimentation and customization: I recommend heating a bowl of it, melting a cheese single and stirring in some chunky salsa for a great bean dip.

Easy, great dinner served with shredded cheddar and sour cream on top and slices of avacado on the side.

I enjoyed it the first time, doing exactly what the recipe called for, but I loved it the second time when I added onions, jalapeno, garlic, diced tomatoes, cummin, cilantro, chili powder, and a copious amount of sea salt. It's a great recipe for starting out and finding what else you might want to add. Don't forget to soak your beans!

this is a great recipe!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't like this much at all. My husband thought they were ok but they taste more like ham hock & beans that Mexican beans. I put in bacon, onion, garlic, tomatoes and chopped jalapeno along with the serano peppers. It wasn't terribly flavorful and not remotely spicy, even with all of that. Also I don't think the beans should cook so long, mine began to fall apart. I wonder if they lost some of their flavor from cooking so long.

Simple and delicious! This is how my grandmother used to make them for me, and cornbread goes great with them.

Not hard to make and tast was not bad.

Great start to the guaracho beans like at the Mexican Restaurant and I've tried to duplicate at home. Add onions to the first cooking, some cumin, and some garlic. At the last few minutes , add fresh cilantro. Delicious side dish without all the added fat to refry them.

This is a pretty good soup recipe. It's very similar to the way my mom makes them. But faster with the "quick soak" method.

This recipe was good but very bland. I added some chopped onion and salt, which made it a lot better.

It really is easier to just not change the water again, but you might get a slightly less appealing looking broth. The other thing is that these are not "refried beans", so if that's what you are looking for you wont get with this recipe. One suggestion though (from a Mexican), follow these directions as they are. Once you have your cooked beans, take a skillet and pour some oil (maybe about 1/4 cup) heat the oil and take beans from the pot (drain the liquid first) and fry them in the oil. Mash them up while they are frying. You could also stir in some milk for a creamier texture.

I'm trying to figure out if the simmering for one hour is a misprint or if you really do it twice as the directions state??? I can't find any other "refried bean" recipe out there and this is as close as I can find, but I don't want to mess it up, did you all do the simmering twice?

The first time out I made them as per the recipe. They were ok. Second time, I added some chopped onions, diced tomatoes cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Much better...

Excellent recipe! My son in law is a picky eater and he raved about these beans. Will make and serve again!

Good, simple recipe. Just what I was looking for. Thanks.

I thought these were very bland. I couldn't taste the flavor of the peppers at all and they needed A LOT of salt. I also thought there was too much water. It diluted the flavor.