# Refried beans (canned) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 8, 2016, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272 "2016-03-08T11:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/21 "2016-03-08T17:18:55Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > And where do you buy those, amigo? I’d love to try 'em and if you find 'em locally I will pick some up. [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI701Y?keywords=santa%20fe%20bean%20company&qid=1457457476&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1) to the rescue! Don’t faint at the price - it’s for an 8-pack. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/22 "2016-03-08T17:21:21Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I add some shredded cheese while my refried beans cook, which improves both taste and texture. I don’t agree. But Mrs. L.A. likes shredded cheese mixed in, so that’s how I make them. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/23 "2016-03-08T17:30:04Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Maybe not the correct way to do things, but I always add a little milk or cream. It’s delicious. Me too. About a quarter cup to a can of beans is the texture I like, but it sounds like the OP wants them runnier than I do. Still, it’s dead easy to keep adding milk until the desired texture. For reference, I usually get Rosarita, but I don’t really think brand matters. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/24 "2016-03-08T18:24:59Z")
I just add water as needed. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/25 "2016-03-08T20:52:53Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > I just add water as needed. Ditto. Fat? You guys are kidding, right? As to brands: There’s a line in an old Cheech and Chong bit where Cheech says: “Gotta stop eating those Rosarita refries.” I used to repeat that when eating Mexican food. No problem. Until we lived where Rosarita refries were available in the store. **Mrs. FtG** of course decided these were my favorites and buys those only. She totally missed everything about the line. So I’m stuck eating those\*. Most (all?) brands are much better. - Well, sometimes she makes them herself and those are good. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/26 "2016-03-08T20:57:45Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Fat? You guys are kidding, right? Oh hell no! Fat = flavor. I add sour cream to mine because I usually don’t have any lard around. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/27 "2016-03-08T20:58:40Z")
No sour cream for me – I’ll be experimenting with olive oil and/or water tomorrow morning and beyond. Thanks for all the ideas! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/28 "2016-03-08T21:33:25Z")
Chalk me up as another Rosarita and a smidgen of water. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/29 "2016-03-08T21:36:11Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI701Y?keywords=santa%20fe%20bean%20company&qid=1457457476&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1) to the rescue! > > Don’t faint at the price - it’s for an 8-pack. [Walmart](http://www.walmart.com/search/?query=dehydrated%20refried%20beans&typeahead=dehydrated%20refri) too!! ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/30 "2016-03-08T22:08:37Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > I use Mexicali Rose dehydrated beans. They come in pinto and black beans. Some Walmarts carry them, but I have to mail order them: Mexicali Rose Website embedded music? on a web page? in 2016? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/31 "2016-03-08T22:46:21Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Oh hell no! Fat = flavor. I add sour cream to mine because I usually don’t have any lard around. Definitely. Fat is what makes refried beans yummy. And I, being a good Polish kid, almost always have lard around. 🙂 And proper, porky tasting lard, not that stuff that comes in a box. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/32 "2016-03-08T22:52:36Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > And where do you buy those, amigo? I’d love to try 'em and if you find 'em locally I will pick some up. > [@silenus](#): > > [Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FI701Y?keywords=santa%20fe%20bean%20company&qid=1457457476&ref_=sr_1_1_a_it&sr=8-1) to the rescue! > > Don’t faint at the price - it’s for an 8-pack. **silenus** got it. I buy the 8 packs from Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/33 "2016-03-08T23:43:16Z")
Refried beans are so easy to make, why used canned? ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/34 "2016-03-08T23:48:34Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > Refried beans are so easy to make, why used canned? It’s a day-long process to go from dried beans to cooked beans. (Soak overnight and about three-four hours on the stove or six-to-eight in a crockpot). Yes, this is easy and you can put them in a crockpot to do it unsupervised but refried beans in a can are one of those things I fall back on when I _haven’t_ planned ahead for dinner. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2016, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/35 "2016-03-08T23:57:55Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > Refried beans are so easy to make, why used canned? Because it’s a whole lot faster and you don’t have to do any mashing. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/36 "2016-03-09T00:08:45Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > It’s a day-long process to go from dried beans to cooked beans. (Soak overnight and about three-four hours on the stove or six-to-eight in a crockpot). > > Yes, this is easy and you can put them in a crockpot to do it unsupervised but refried beans in a can are one of those things I fall back on when I _haven’t_ planned ahead for dinner. We eat beans in one form or another everyday in our home. A pot of boiled beans can be made into small portions and frozen. They can later be prepared in numerous ways. Making refried beans is quick and easy, 10 minutes maximum. ---
**Author:** ![CBEscapee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CBEscapee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CBEscapee)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/37 "2016-03-09T00:09:57Z")
> [@Rushgeekgirl](#): > > Because it’s a whole lot faster and you don’t have to do any mashing. But the taste doesn’t compare. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/38 "2016-03-09T00:17:43Z")
> [@CBEscapee](#): > > We eat beans in one form or another everyday in our home. I don’t. I eat them once or twice a month. A can costs me about 50 cents a meal, and takes five minutes to heat up. And I’ve got a lot better use for my freezer space than to keep a five year supply of beans in it. > [@CBEscapee](#): > > But the taste doesn’t compare. I’m sure that’s true. It’s a trade-off, as are so many other things when it comes to preparing food. Since I only eat them with corn tortillas, hamburger, onion, cheese, salsa, lettuce, and tomato, I doubt I could tell the difference between yours and Rosarita anyway. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/39 "2016-03-09T00:26:17Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > It’s a day-long process to go from dried beans to cooked beans. (Soak overnight and about three-four hours on the stove or six-to-eight in a crockpot). It actually doesn’t take anywhere near that long. You can do a quick soak in boiling water (bring water to boil, add beans, turn off heat) for an hour. And then it’s just another hour of cooking until they’re done. Or don’t even bother with the soak and just cook. Beans don’t need soaking. They’ll cook faster if you do, but I don’t bother. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2016, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272/40 "2016-03-09T00:28:16Z")
Oddly enough – and I didn’t look this up before my post above – apparently the current advice is [not to soak beans](http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-dont-soak-dried-beans-20140911-story.html). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/refried-beans-canned/748272.md?page=3)