Inspired by the potato salad thread, how do you make your world famous baked beans?
I use my mom’s recipe, which is always a crowd pleaser:
Canned beans (Campbells will do, but then you need to add brown sugar. I use Bush’s and skip that ingredient)
Thinly sliced onions
1/2 cup bourbon per 1/2 gallon of beans
Strong black coffee (prolly a cup per 1/2 gallon)
Bacon
Stick 'em in the oven for an hour or so. OMYGOD do they rock!
What’s your favorite recipe?
I also start with canned, but I add lots of blackstrap molasses, a hit of ketchup, plenty of sauteed onions and bits of (cooked) bacon (I hate slimy limp bacon or fatback in my beans, but I’m too lazy to pick it out. Cooked bacon has a fine texture as well as taste). If I’m feeling healthful, then maybe a chopped up red bell pepper. Baked or crock-potted until I feel like it smells right.
Most baked beans are just too light and bland for me. I’m really liking your bourbon and coffee ideas, though. I may have to steal that next time.
I always start with dried navy beans, and have found nothing in a can that can compare. There’s not much more work involved, but you do have to plan ahead.
It makes the house smell fantastic.
My sister’s recipe is out of this world. If you want bacon, cook separately and crumble on top when finished.
3 lbs Campbell’s pork and beans
½ lb ground chuck (cooked)
3 T prepared yellow mustard
1 c ketchup
2 T Worcestershire sauce
¼ c brown sugar
½ c chopped bell pepper
¼ c chopped onion
Combine all ingredients and cook 50 min at 350º.
I’ll start of with Bush’s Homestyle and spoon in a bunch of brown sugar and then cover with ketchup. If it’s a weekend I’ll add onions sauteed w/ bacon.
Coffee and bourbon? Heh, I likes the way you kitchen.
We’re under orders to bring this one to every gathering of one particular group of friends. Pretty much guaranteed fatal to those with blood sugar or cholesterol issues, of course!
We’ve been known to make it with vegetarian beans and omit the bacon when there was a vegetarian planning to attend the event. It’s not quite as good but still pretty tasty.