Frijoles Charros

1. Cover the beans with water and soak them overnight.
2. Rinse and wash the beans under running water, then return them to the pot and cover them with water (to about 1 inch above the beans). Note: if you forget to soak the beans, just increase the cooking time by about 1 ½ hours.
3. Chop the onion finely, mince the jalapeño chilies (you can remove the seeds to suit your preferred level of spiciness), mince the garlic, and roughly chop the cilantro.
4. Add the can of tomatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic and chilies, and half the cilantro to the pot with the beans.
5. Dice the bacon and fry it until crisp. Reserve a small amount for garnish, and add the rest to the pot.
6. Turn the heat on medium high and bring the beans to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and cook for 2 ½ to 3 hours (until the beans are very tender), stirring occasionally.
7. Check the pot periodically and add water as needed so that the beans stay covered. During the last half hour of cooking, remove the cover and turn up the heat slightly so that the excess water evaporates.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over rice, with the extra bacon and cilantro sprinkled over top.