Recipe: Barbecued Sweet Onions (using canned baked beans)

BARBECUED SWEET ONIONS

2 cups hickory wood chips
8 medium Vidalia or other sweet onions
One 16-oz. can Bush's Country Style Baked Beans
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sweet red barbecue sauce
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, cut in 8 pieces
2 bacon strips, pre-cooked, cut into 2-inch pieces, 8 in all
Milled black pepper to taste

Grilling: 40 to 60 minutes

Soak chips in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Set up grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium (350 degrees F).

Cut off onion stems and peel. Hollow out onions, leaving base intact. Finely chop pieces removed. Combine them in a mixing bowl with beans, brown sugar and barbecue sauce. Spoon bean mixture into onions. Top each onion with 1/2 tablespoon butter, ground pepper and a piece of bacon.

Arrange onions on grill grate away from fire. If using a charcoal grill, toss wood chips on coals. If a gas grill, place chips in a smoke box. Grill onions 40 to 60 minutes, cover closed, or until they are pale golden brown and tender.

Serves: 8