QUICK AND SMOKY CAJUN-BAKED BEANS

Prep Time:1 Hour
Yields:6–8 Servings

Comment:
Not everyone has time to make baked beans from scratch. This recipe begins with canned great Northern beans, but the smoke of the grill and the sweet flavor of brown sugar and cane syrup will make the dish taste homemade.

Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans great Northern beans
2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans
½ pound applewood-smoked bacon, cubed
¼ cup bacon fat
1 cup diced sugar-cured ham
2 cups diced onions
1 cup diced red bell peppers
¼ cup thinly sliced garlic
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup Steen’s™ cane syrup
½ cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup ketchup
2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tbsp prepared mustard
1 tbsp cider vinegar
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup sliced green onions
salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic to taste

Method:
In a cast iron pot, melt bacon fat over medium-high heat. Add cubed bacon and stir occasionally until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Add ham, onions, bell peppers and sliced garlic into pot with bacon fat. Cook 5–7 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Blend in all remaining ingredients except beans, stirring well into the mixture. Mix in beans and bring to a simmer. Cook 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. To prepare this dish in your oven, bake at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes. For an exceptional smoky flavor, you may wish to cook the beans in your barbecue pit. Light coals on one side of the barbecue pit only. Place hickory or pecan chips on hot coals to generate smoke. Once wood is smoking, place pot, uncovered, on the opposite side of the coals. Close lid of the barbecue pit and cook beans 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve alongside your favorite barbecue meat or baked chicken.