What are refried beans?

Question

Why are they called "refried"?

Answer 1

Refried beans (frijoles refritos) is a dish of cooked and mashed beans and a traditional staple of Mexican cuisine, Central American cuisine, and the cuisine of the Southwestern United States.

Refried beans are prepared with either black or pinto bean. Once the beans have been prepared charola style (i.e. the raw beans are soaked overnight and then stewed) they are drained of most of the liquid remaining, made into a paste with a bean masher (same as a potato masher, or in its absence, a fork or the back of a large flat spoon) and fried with lard or vegetable oil, typically in a cast iron pot or skillet. Often, onion, garlic, and spices are sautéed in the oil before the beans are added. The recooked beans are then partially or completely mashed and bean or chicken stock is added if the consistency is too dry.

In a home meal, refried beans typically serve as the main food accompanied by smaller, more strongly flavored dishes, but they may also be served as a side dish accompanying a larger meal, or rolled in a tortilla to form a bean burrito.

In the US, refried beans have become a very popular dip for corn tortilla chips, while this usage has never really caught on in its native Mexico. Refried beans are also a primary ingredient in many tostadas, chimichangas and pupusas recipes. In addition, they are a typical ingredient in layered dips, such as seven layer dip, in nachos, and are especially implied when a dish is referred to as nachos grande.

A typical dish, similar to enchiladas is enfrijoladas wherein slightly fried tortillas are slathered in the bean paste from frijoles refritos.



reff:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refried_beans

Answer 2

Actually, the other answers are slightly off the mark. Refried beans are only fried once--they're very moist, flavorful and delicious, not dry like some have suggested. They're called "refried" because that's actually the English version of the Spanish word "refritos," which simply means "fried." It's yet another example of how the English language absorbs and twists words from many other languages.

Answer 3

My refried beans are never fried, I take pinto beans the next day after cooking--they r thick- and mash them up-adding cheese and garlic-delicious. They are great in a soft warmed up tortilla or a sidedish for tacos.
The lard thing I do not understand. I would never add lard to anything much less pinto beans.

Answer 4

Pinto beans... called refried because they get (traditionally) reheated and used as the main source of protein till they are done. Know this as a child of depression in Tennessee... beans fill you up.

Answer 5

If a cook were to fry up some beans, they might be called fried beans.

Hmmm................

So, if I were to order "refried" beans, I would expect beans that were a little drier and thicker, more flavorful and less messy. Why because they have been REFRIED

Answer 6

Frijoles refritos. Because they were fried once before. They are tasty. They are an invention by a Mexican guy, Senor Benito Juarez. Muy buenos!

Answer 7

I have no idea but i'm gonna have to say fried beans that they fry over

Answer 8

Mashed up pinto beans with lard in them, and sometimes jalepeno peppers. You've probably had them with Mexican food.

Answer 9

~~~beans that have been fried. now their left overs, and the next day we fry them again.,,, so now we call them re- fried..

Answer 10

Because first they are fried and then you fry them again so they are fried twice.