You can buy refried black beans (frijoles negros refritos) in a can if you want, but they won’t have anywhere near the flavor and complexity that you can coax out of them by doing it yourself. If you buy it in a can, you’ll also end up paying substantially more for something that doesn’t taste […]
Sides, Salads, and Condiments
Hot Water Cornbread
Hot water cornbread is an older cousin to the cornbread that most people are accustomed to today. Maybe it could be considered a distant great-granduncle to the typical stuff since according to Sean Brock, the professor of all things Southern Cooking, it predates regular cornbread quite a bit. Hot water cornbread is a treat not too […]
Cebolla Roja Encurtidos – Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions (cebolla roja encurtidos) are a traditional condiment for tacos in Southern Mexico. They add an excellent acidic kick to tacos that include fatty meats like barbacoa, carnitas, and especially cochinita pibil. While white vinegar isn’t the traditional acid used in pickled red onions (sour oranges are), it works just fine and makes […]
Roasted Tomato and Jalapeno Salsa
This recipe is for our workhorse salsa. A rustic, roasted tomato and jalapeno salsa. At any given time, I have at least one jar of it sitting in my refrigerator. We use it for everything from our morning eggs, to chips and dip, to carnitas tacos on the weekend. There are a couple of things […]
West Texas Style Pinto Beans
Growing up in West Texas, I’d never tasted pinto beans with sugar in them. We ate a lot of pinto beans since they were cheap and healthy. They were always a savory side for things like cornbread or enchiladas. I never even tried sweet pinto beans until I moved to the eastern part of the […]
Homemade Brown Sugar
I no longer buy brown sugar at the grocery store. Homemade brown sugar only requires two ingredients and takes only about a minute to complete. It’s simple to do, and if you make only what you need, you don’t have to worry about it drying out on you. All you need is some molasses and […]
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Southern-style coleslaw is the perfect condiment for a classic slow-smoked pulled pork sandwich. It is a classic for a reason. You don’t need to add extra ingredients or dress it up in any way. This classic Southern coleslaw recipe cuts all the frills out and sticks to the traditional. Below are a couple of notes […]
Salsa Ranchera
For most people, salsa ranchera is more of a spicy tomato sauce than a salsa, although the ingredients are the same. It’s generally made as a topping for huevos rancheros, but it goes great with any protein forward dish. Salsa ranchera is a fried salsa, which means that after blending the ingredients, you’ll pour them […]
