Refried Beans

also called frijoles refritos

The table

1 lb(450 g; soaked overnight)dried pinto beanssimmer 1 1/2 hrmashfry 10 min
8 cups(1.9 L)water
1/2 large(halved)white onion
4 clovesgarlic
1bay leaf
1 small(finely chopped)yellow onionfry 6 min
1/3 cup(70 g; or bacon fat)lard
2 1/2 tspkosher salt
1/2 tspground cumin
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.11 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1simmer 1 1/2 hr

2fry 6 min

4fry 10 min

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 40 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
16 minof the steps that give a time

One of the 4 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 2 hr.

  1. simmer 1 1/2 hr

    1 hr 30 minwalk away(read off the step)from the start

  2. fry 6 min

    6 minneeds you(read off the step)from the start

  3. mash

    not timed1 hr 30 min in

  4. fry 10 min

    10 minneeds you(read off the step)1 hr 30 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time. The minutes are always the recipe’s own; a dashed edge means we worked out from the step whether you have to be there, and a dotted one means nothing was said, so we assumed you are standing over it.

You'll need potato masher · skillet

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Refried Beans
>> category: Rice, Beans & Grains
>> tags: beans, pinto, mexican, side, stovetop
>> counters: Taquería
>> aka: frijoles refritos
>> pairs-with: corn-tortillas
>> servings: 8
>> time: 2 hr
>> step.1: simmer 1 1/2 hr
>> step.2: fry 6 min
>> step.3: mash
>> step.4: fry 10 min

Simmer @dried pinto beans{1%lb}(450 g; soaked overnight) in @water{8%cups}(1.9 L) with @white onion{1/2%large}(halved), @garlic{4%cloves}, and @bay leaf{1} until completely soft, ~{1 1/2%hr}.

Fry @yellow onion{1%small}(finely chopped) in @lard{1/3%cup}(70 g; or bacon fat) in a wide #skillet{} for ~{6%min}.

Add @&(~2)beans{} to @&(~1)onion{} with a cup of their cooking liquid and mash with a #potato masher{}.

Fry @&(~1)beans{} over medium heat, stirring, until thick enough to hold a line, ~{10%min}, with @kosher salt{2 1/2%tsp} and @ground cumin{1/2%tsp}.