SMOKY BAKED BEANS 7/2/2016, my version
| Smoking wood: 2 cups Hickory wood chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained; or Hickory pellets Ingredients 12 thick-cut slices slab bacon (about 16 ounces), fat separated from the lean and the fat rendered and the fat pieces removed, leaving the bacon fat, cut the lean into ½ inch slivers 2 large yellow onions, finely chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced ½ tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger or one tsp. dry ginger 4 cans (each 15 ounces) Great Northern, dark red kidney, Bush’s beans with bacon, and Butter beans, rinsed and drained ½ cup firmly packed dark or golden brown cane sugar ½ cup molasses ½ cup barbecue sauce ½ cup ketchup 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons dry mustard 2 tablespoons prepared mustard (French Dijon Fallon) 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 to 2 cups diced smoked or barbecued pork, ham, or brisket (optional) 1 tablespoon barbecued meat drippings (optional) ½ tsp. New Mexican Mild Chile Powder 1 tsp. Ancho powder See also below: Serves 6 to 8 “About the chile powders. I'm looking for complexity with two different flavors and two different levels of heat. Most American chili powders and ancho powders do not have a lot of heat, but good flavor. In fact, ancho is usually in a lot of American chili powders. Go with ancho if you can find it. It has a nice raisiny character. With chipotle or cayenne I'm after a kiss of heat. Chipotle has better flavor though.” Meathead on how to modify a brisket rub but it applies to these beans too. |
Not everyone has the time to make baked beans from scratch. This recipe starts with canned beans, but a smoke on the grill produces such rich flavor, you'd swear the beans had been cooked for hours. For the best results, add a couple of cups of diced barbecued pork, ham, or brisket and/or meat drippings left over from a previous cookout. 1. Place the lean parts of the slab bacon in a large, heavy pot and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. 2. Add the onion and cook at medium until the onion is golden brown, about 15 minutes, then add the garlic and ginger and cook 2 more minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the brown sugar, molasses, barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, prepared mustard, Ancho powder, Chile powder, cider vinegar, pork (if using), and drippings (if using) and then the beans. Cook all together for 20 minutes. Adjust to your taste. Should any more of an ingredient be added? Salt and pepper? If adjusting, cook another 10 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer the beans to a baking dish (an aluminum-foil turkey pan works well). 3. Set up the smoker for 225 degrees. No drip pan is necessary for this recipe. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. 4. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips on the coals. Place the baking pan with the beans in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat, and cover the grill. Smoke roast the beans until thick and richly flavored, about 60 minutes, stir and smoke roast another 60 minutes. Note: These beans can also be prepared in the oven; bake them for 30 minutes at 350°F. |
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