Pick over your beans. Discard any small rocks or debris you find as well as any beans that don’t look right (wrinkled, dark spots).

Rinse the beans well.

Turn the Instant Pot on to the sauté function.

Add the bacon fat or other oil option to the Instant Pot.

Once the bacon fat is heated, add the chopped onion and sauté for a couple minutes until the onion begins to soften.

Turn off the Instant Pot.

Leaving the Instant Pot off, add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and give it a quick stir.

Add water and pinto beans into the Instant Pot and stir again.

Check that your sealing ring on the lid is in place, put on the lid and double check that your steam release knob is set to “sealing”.

Set the “manual” button for 40 minutes on high pressure.

Once the 40 minutes is up do, a quick release on the Instant Pot.

Drain the Beans, reserving the liquid and return the beans back to the pot.

Add 1 cup of the reserved liquid to the beans.

Using an Immersion Blender or food processor, process the beans until smooth, adding more liquid to the beans if necessary.

Serve with meals like Instant Pot Pork Carnitas, Honey Mustard Chicken or Marinated Flank Steak.