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best barbecued beans on the planet

(3 ratings)
suak avatar
Recipe by
Susan Cutler
@suak
Anchorage, AK

These really are the best! My son and I made these a little bit ago and I couldn't believe how wonderful they were! The beans take a bit to prepare, so plan on having some extra time before you want to eat! You won't regret it!!

(3 ratings)
yield 12 to 16
method Grill

Ingredients For best barbecued beans on the planet

  • 1 can
    (15 ounces) black beans
  • 1 can
    (15 ounces) dark red kidney beans
  • 3 can
    (each 15 ounces) baked beans or pork and beans
  • 1 lg
    sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 1
    poblano pepper or green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped and also 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 4 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 3-6
    jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (for hotter beans, leave the seeds in)
  • 2 c
    sweet red barbecue sauce (your favorite commercial brand)
  • 1 1/2 c
    firmly packed light brown sugar, or more to taste
  • 1/2 c
    dijon mustard, or more to taste
  • 2 tsp
    liquid smoke (optional, see note)
  • coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • bacon, fried, as much as desired

How To Make best barbecued beans on the planet

  • 1
    You Will Also Need: (turkey-size) or 2 medium-size aluminum foil pans; 2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably pecan or hickory) soaked for 1 hour in hot water to cover, then drained.
  • 2
    1. If using bacon, place it in a large skillet over medium heat and fry until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour off all the bacon fat, saving a few Tablespoons for the beans, if desired.
  • 3
    2. Empty the cans of black and kidney beans into a colander and drain. Rinse the beans under cold running water and drain again. Place all the beans (including the baked beans or pork and beans) in a large non-reactive mixing bowl and add the onion, bell and poblano peppers, garlic, and jalapenos and stir to mix. Add the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, liquid smoke, if using, fried bacon stir to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding more brown sugar and/or mustard as necessary, and salt and black pepper to taste; the beans should be very flavorful. Transfer the bean mixture to the aluminum foil pan or pans. (If you used bacon, you can drizzle a few tablespoons of bacon fat over the beans for extra flavor.)
  • 4
    3. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-low. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-low. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium-low then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.
  • 5
    4. When ready to cook, place the pan of beans in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the beans until they are thick and richly flavored, about 1 hour. If the beans start to dry out, cover them loosely with aluminum foil. Remove the beans from the grill and let them rest for 15 minutes, then serve.
  • 6
    NOTE: If you cook the beans in a gas grill, you probably won't be able to generate enough smoke for a strong wood flavor. Add the liquid smoke in this case.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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