Recipe: Thierry's Special Baked Beans

Thierry's Special Baked Beans
Recipe by: Thierry Gerbault, May 11, 1970
Yield: 6 servings

I concocted this recipe for BBQ Baked Beans almost 30 years ago, and still make it the same way. Everyone asks for the recipe.

2 cans (28-oz each) Bush's baked beans (or other low-liquid packed baked beans)
1/2 lb bacon, diced
1 2-inch yellow onion, diced
3 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite)
1 tsp Coleman's dry mustard
1/2 tsp French's yellow mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp bacon fat
reserved bean liquid

Pour baked beans into colander and drain, reserving liquid. Fry diced bacon until crisp. Add bacon to beans, reserving fat. Fry diced onion in bacon fat until transparent but not brown. Add onion and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the beans.

Mix remaining ingredients in small mixing bowl. Add mixture to beans and combine all ingredients thoroughly, but gently. Add sufficient reserved bean liquid to moisten bean mixture. It should not be soupy.

Turn bean mixture into 2-quart casserole. Beans may be refrigerated and held one or two days until baking.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake beans uncovered for 30-45 minutes until a crust forms on top. Serves six.