1lb pinto beans
2 hamhocs or smoked shanks
4 cloves of garlic
1 med onion
2 tsp mexican picante sauce(valentina is good)
salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
put hocks and salt in large pot and cover with water. boil 45 min. now add chopped garlic, chopped onion. picante sauce. heat on med high for 30 more min. add water as needed to keep hocks coverd entire time. rinse and sort the pintos(do not soak)bring water to a boil and add pintos. bring back to a boil and cover and redcuce heat to a good simmer. allow some steam to get out by not completly covering but allowing a small vent by tilting the lid. cook until beans are tender and check the water often to make sure that the beans are covered by 2 inches.
For refried beans.
bacon fat
bean juice
beans
salt
in a lg cast iron get enough bacon fat hot to cover about 1/4 inch of the skillet. add 2 lg cups of beans and fry over high heat stirring often. mash the beans and thin with the bean juice until they bubble. adjust the thickness by adding more bean juice or more beans as needed. let simmer on low for a few min. cover and let stand.