The BEST beans to bring to a Bar-B-Que!!!

Old Settler Beans or aka Cousin Mary’s Beans

Serves 10-12 people

INGREDIENTS:

  • ½ LB Bacon
  • 1 med onion, chopped
  • ½ LB ground beef
  • 2 cans Pork & Beans
  • 1 can Red Kidney (or any flavor you want)
  • 1 can Black Beans
  • 1/3 c white sugar
  • 1/3 c brown sugar
  • ½ c barbeque sauce (I like SPICY flavored)
  • ½ c Ketchup
  • 2 TBS Molasses (more if you want it sweeter)
  • 2 TBS mustard
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • ***if you want more kick, 1 TBS Chipolte in Adobo****

 1.       DRAIN the beans and put them aside

2.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees

DIRECTIONS:

  1. 1.       In a 10-12 in skillet, cook the bacon till it is browned but NOT crispy and remove to paper towel.  Then chop and put aside but leave bacon grease in skillet.
  2. 2.       Now, cook the onion in the skillet with the bacon grease…love the flavor!!
  3. 3.       Once onion is cooked (3-5 mins) add the ground beef to the onion mixture and cook until no longer pink (5 mins)
  4. 4.       Now, as that sits in the skillet, mix the sugars, bar-b-que sauce, ketchup, molasses, mustard, chili powder S & P in a bowl.  Then TASTE it!! ALWAYS taste things when you are cooking.  If it is too spicy, then add some more molasses….if it’s not hot enough, add more chili powder, mustard or adobo!!!  Stir it real good.
  5. 5.       Add the drained beans to the meat mixture sitting in the skillet and mix that up. Also add the chopped bacon.   I use my hands to mix it.  Then, once that is mixed, add the “sauce” and mix that all up in the skillet.  Try not to make a mess here!!
  6. 6.       Once it is mixed then put it into the preheated oven and cook, uncovered for 35-40 mins or until it is bubbling along the sides.

For a LARGE gathering, I triple the recipe!  I use 3 large cans of pork & beans (drain them too) and use 4-6 cans of any combination of beans…red, black, pinto, great northern…whatever.  Choice is ALL yours!

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