Refried beans are actually fried only one time, although many people believe that their name implies that they have been fried more than once. Their name, however, is thought to come from the Spanish word refritos, which translates to “well-fried,” rather than meaning that they have been fried and then fried again, or "re-fried." The dish traditionally is prepared by cooking beans, often pinto beans, in two ways. They typically are boiled in water until the beans are softened, and then they are mashed before being fried in lard. Occasionally, the mashed beans might be served as they are or baked instead of fried, which means that some refried beans might never be fried at all.
More about food misnomers:
- German chocolate cake might not have originated in Germany. Rather, the recipe is thought to have been created by a Texas woman for a recipe contest for Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate, a product created by American chocolate maker Sam German.
- Coconuts are not related to the nut family and are actually fruit, and pineapples have no relation to apples.
- The term "London broil" refers to a cut of boneless beef, but it did not originate in London, England, and generally is not known or referred to in that area.