BBQ Baked Beans
BBQ Baked Beans might not be as universal as something like Chili but it is still a simple peasant style dish that can be packed full of Flavour.
When I think of BBQ Baked Beans I think of Cowboys in the old west making a cattle drive. Using simple ingredients at their disposal like Raisins or Molasses for sweetness and with pork fat and Dried Beans, whatever they could carry. My funny bone also goes straight to the camp fire scene in Blazing Saddles.
Our version will have a few more ingredients than those cowboys would want to carry but still delish.
Ingredients Assembly
Grabbing all our ingredients and measuring them out will be the easiest way to start, “Mise en Place”. The spices are easy enough just measure them all into a small bowl and set aside. From left to right we have Brown sugar ( not a spice i know but doesn’t really matter here ) Onion Powder, Ground Cloves, Ground Cumin, Paprika, Chili Powder and Garlic Powder.
Once again the ease of my BBQ Baked Beans is very little cutting. There are a few ingredients that need measuring but even they don’t have to be that precise. The cutting is only an Onion and Some Bacon that can be anything you have, I like a Smoked Bacon.
The next step will be to grab all of our Liquid Ingredients and combine them into a bowl. Start with your favourite Ketchup a nice thick rich fancy Molasses, some sweet Maple Syrup and the tanginess of Worcestershire.
The Heart of the Dish
Finally we have the heart or meat of the dish, the ingredients that give it bite and substance. Bacon Bacon Bacon, I say it three times because i love Bacon. I use whatever I have on hand Apple Smoked, Hickory Smoked but use your favourite. Add a large diced Onion and finally the Beans, usually kidney.
“ How bout some more beans Mr. Taggart,
I’d say you’ve had enough “
– Blazing Saddles, Campfire Scene –
” Love is in the air, Nope that’s Bacon “
– Unknown –
Traditional Kidney Beans are what you would use but again I love this dish because of it’s versatility. I use Kidney Beans if i have them on hand but if I don’t I use cans of mixed Beans or Lima Beans, they all work in a pinch.
Such a versatile dish it can be used to jazz up so many different diners or lunches. Hotdogs, Baked Potatoes, a BBQ Chicken with a nice Southern Coleslaw. As you can tell from the pictures above I love my Cheese with it too.
BBQ Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1/4 C Ketchup
- 1/4 C Maple Syrup
- 1 C Brown Sugar
- 1/4 C Molasses
- 1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire
- 1/4 tsp Cloves Ground
- 2 tsp Cumin Ground
- 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 lbs Thick cut Bacon I enjoy Smoked ( applewood, Hickory etc )
- 1 Onion diced
- 2-3 Cloves Garlic Garlic Powder cans be substituted
- 4 540ml Beans ( Red Kidney or mixed ) cans 19 oz with liquid
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions
- Eventually everything just gets dumped into one pot but I like to first start by organizing a few things.
- First I like to add the Ketchup, Maple Syrup, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Apple Cider Vinegar, Worcestershire, Cloves, Cumin, Chili and Paprika into one bowl.
- Then dice the Onion, chop the Garlic and slice the Bacon.
- Finally get all the cans of Bean and open them up so they're ready to go. Now your're all systems go, turn the oven on to 350° F
- Grab a Large cast iron pan if you have one, if not a large deep pot will do. Start by cooking the Bacon until it just starts to crisp up. Add the Onion and Garlic to the Bacon and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the Onions start to become translucent.
- Once the Onions become translucent add the Ketchup mixture along with the entire cans of Beans including the liquid. Stir and let sit on the stove top for 2-3 minutes or until it just starts to bubble.
- Transfer to the Oven for 35-45 minutes. If you want it thicker you can cook it for longer to reduce some of the liquid if it becomes to dry you can add a 1/4c of Water, Chicken Stock, or Red Wine.
- All that is left is to decide what you are going to serve with it, or on it, or in it and enjoy.
Notes