Bacon Beer Beans and The Only Sugary Coffee I Will Drink: California Charro Beans & Cafe de Olla

California Charro Beans, courtesy of Rancho Gordo

4 Bacon Slices
1/2 of a white onion, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 to 2 serrano chiles, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 sweet red pepper, roasted, peeled and chopped
About 4 cups cooked Rancho Gordo medium heirloom beans in their broth
1/2 to 1 cup beer or stock
salt to taste
lime wedges, for serving

In a pot over medium-low heat, cook the bacon until the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon from the pan and chop it into small pieces; set aside.

Add the onion and chiles to the bacon fat; cook until soft and fragrant. Stir in the garlic and roasted bell pepper.

Add the beans and beer to the pot. Simmer to allow the flavors to mingle and the beer to evaporate, 15 to 20 minutes. If more liquid is needed, add stock or water. Taste and add salt if needed. Divide among bowls and top with the reserved crumbled bacon and onion. Serve with lime wedges.

Cafe de Olla

10 cups water
8 ounces piloncillo
3 cinnamon sticks
3/4 cups ground coffee

Put the water, piloncillo and cinnamon in a pot and bring it to a simmer. Simmer it until the piloncillo is dissolved. Turn off the heat and stir in the coffee. Let it steep, covered, for 5 to 6 minutes. Strain it quite well and enjoy!

[Bekindtoyou]

More Ben, for sure.

Also, beer for breakfast? Eeep!

[leovirgo]

I really like the idea of using poblanos for something like this. They have a wonderful flavor that works really well with bacon. Also, I'm low-key afraid to touch serrano chilis. And the added benefit of being able to see through time from the cafe de olla seems well worth it. Plus, Ben's Magic Finger Snaps are appreciated.

[lilykep]

You know you're really cooking when you look at the recipe, look at your pantry and think "Well shit... Ehh I can probably make it work."
Knowing your substitutions is the fist step to greatness.

[jjunture]

From the intro, I honestly thought the cafe de olla was going into the beans… I’m still not 100% convinced that shouldn’t be done, but maybe less sugar.

[bw]

This looks delicious! Only issue, it's hard to convince my brain that the Nutri-Grain bar I am actually eating is the bean dish you made for us today. 🤤

[Klisstoriss]

Both a beans and Iliza comeback, very happy! Also MORE Ben. Thx for the recipes, this pairing of the cafe de olla and the lovely beans is giving me ideas for a brunch :) is this specific sugar a mandatory ingredient, or can you recommend some substitutions? Doubt I'd be able to find this adorable little cone of unrefined mexican sugar in Europe.

[rjschools]

This substitution model is the secret to making you a STAR. PS this just made the $350 I dropped on Iliza tickets in Chicago (September) all the more exciting

[jepolch]

I'm glad to hear someone else say that coffee plus sugar is rocket fuel. That's why I stopped putting sugar in my coffee. These beans look so great. Do they have much caffeine?

[romainegame]

like most things I want to throw a fried egg on top but this looks top notch, I'm overdue to make a pot of beans!

[bw]

While I still haven’t made the beans, the coffee was great! I didn’t realize how big a 10 cup batch was so the office got a surprise this morning. ❤🫨☕️