Every summer barbecue needs a good side of baked beans. This recipe was a winner because the beans were thick, sweet and smokey. Serve them with just about anything and some crunchy slaw and you have yourself one dreamy plate of food.
Barbecued Baked Beans
Recipe from www.saveur.com
10 slices bacon, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cups barbecue sauce
1¼ cups dark brown sugar
1 cup beef stock
1 cup leftover chopped beef brisket or pulled pork (optional)
¼ cup molasses
1 tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. kosher salt
⅛ tsp. ground cloves
4 15-oz. cans navy beans, drained and rinsed (if you can't find - sub great northern beans)
1 16-oz. can whole, peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Heat oven to 325°. Heat bacon in an 8-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring, until its fat renders, about 6 minutes. Add onion, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add sauce, sugar, stock, meat, molasses, mustard, salt, cloves, beans, tomatoes, and pepper; bring to a boil. Cover pot and place in oven; bake until thick and fragrant, about 2 hours. Cool 10 minutes.
(Make sure to not overcook. You don't want the beans to get mushy or the sugar or molasses to burn. It may not me super thick when you take it out of the oven, but as it cools uncovered, it thickens up nicely.)
