Ambush Beans - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. washed and sorted pinto beans
1/4 lb. (more or less) John Morrell salt pork
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tbsp. Santa Cruz chili powder or any pure chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
3 Tbsp. lard
2 or 3 jalapeno peppers, pierced and added whole or seed and chop

Preparation

Soak beans overnight or bring to a boil and soak, covered, for an hour. Use just enough water to cover beans by about an inch. Cut salt pork into 1/4-inch slabs and place in cold skillet with the 3 tablespoons lard and slowly fry until golden brown and fat is rendered from the salt pork. Remove salt pork from the pan and set aside to cool. Brown the onions and garlic in the rendered fat until very slightly browned. Add jalapenos to beans. Add the chili powder to the beans. Cut the meat from the rendered salt pork into small squares and add to beans. Add rendered fat and onion to beans and simmer until tender, 2 to 3 hours. Add enough water while cooking to keep beans covered. When beans are done, you can mash a small amount through a sieve to thicken the mixture to your desired consistency.