Recipe: Barbecued Baked Beans

Barbecued Baked Beans
Source: Grace the Table by Alexander Smalls
Servings: 6 to 8

1 pound small white beans
1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery with leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce or 6 large fresh tomatoes chopped and stewed for 1 hour
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup thick molasses
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
chicken, veal, or pork stock (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup country cured slab bacon, diced

Wash beans, place in large pot and cover with cool water, boil for 5 minutes, and remove from heat; let sit for 1 hour with tight lid.

In cast-iron skillet, saute onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil on a high flame for 4 minutes or until onion is translucent.

Add tomato sauce, sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cloves, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pour off water from beans and replace with 3 1/2 cups (approximately) fresh cool water or meat stock. Add bay leaves, salt, pepper, and thyme. Let simmer, covered, until beans are tender.

Saute bacon cubes; drain. Drain liquid from beans and reserve.

Combine beans and tomato sauce in Dutch oven or bean pot. Top with bacon and bake in 300-degree oven for 3 to 5 hours. Stir beans now and then, adding reserved liquid when needed.