Barbecue Baked Beans

Sweet and sticky with a little tang.

Barbecue Baked Beans

Serves 4 - 5

Growing up our baked beans were always canned Bushs’ that my mom would “doctor” with barbecue sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper before baking. We had them year round as a side dish with lots of different things and I loved them. In my first trial of these homemade beans I was floored by how different baked beans from scratch were compared to what I grew up with. I credit that massive difference not so much with the seasonings but with the texture and flavor of the beans which are tender and creamy but also toothsome and earthy completely different from the canned beans which are often blown out and less flavorful. Although these beans take some time, it’s worth it. The time is mostly hands off and you just let the beans do their own thing for an amazing end result.

“Recipe Tips:

*1. Alternatively, you can use 2 – 15.5 oz cans of white beans, rinsed well and substitute chicken broth for the bean cooking liquid. That said, starting with dry beans will make this dish taste better.

**2. Use your favorite barbecue sauce.”

Ingredients

Beans

*300g (1.25 c) small white beans, soaked overnight

1,200ml (6 c) water

30ml (2 T) yondu or soy sauce

22g (1.5 T) dashida or chicken bullion

3 bay leaves

Finishing

**300g (1 c) barbecue sauce

150g (½ large) onion, sliced thinly with the grain

150g (about 6 slices of bacon) smoked duck or thick cut bacon, cut into lardons

45g (3 T) dark brown sugar

45ml (3 T) soy sauce

15ml (1 T) Worcestershire sauce

14g (2 t) brown mustard

4g (1 t) garlic powder

3g (0.75 t) ground black pepper

400ml (2 c) reserved bean broth

Method

1.      Place the beans and water into a medium pot.

• Cover and bring to a boil.

Be mindful of the pot so that it does not boil over.

• Remove and discard the scum that rises.

• Reduce the heat to low and add the yondu, dashida and bay leaves stirring well to incorporate.

• Cover and cook 1.5 – 2 hours or until completely tender.

Beans are completely tender when the skins are soft and the centers are creamy.

After 1 hour I like to test 1 bean from 3 or 4 different areas of the pot. If 1 does not have tender skins and creamy centers, I continue to cook the beans until each bean tested is completely tender.

• Reserve 400ml (2 c) bean cooking liquid.

• Drain the beans.

2.      Preheat oven to 150 C / 300 F.

3.      In a medium baking pan add the beans and all the finishing ingredients except the reserved cooking liquid.

• Stir well to combine.

• Add 350ml (1.75 c) reserved bean cooking liquid. And stir well to combine.

Add more of the cooking liquid for saucier beans.

• Cover with an ovenproof tight fitting lid or tightly with aluminum foil.

• Bake for 80 minutes, covered.

• Increase oven to 180 C / 350 F.

• Uncover and bake 15 – 20 minutes longer or until the liquid has reduced and thickened some.

• Allow to stand covered for 15 minutes.

4.      Serve.