Smoker Beans Question

[noboundaries]

My wife raved about them. She and I had them for breakfast mixed with some sticky rice we had in the fridge. Might not tweek the recipe after all. Here's the recipe.

Scratch BBQ Smoked Beans

A total experiment on my part. On Amazing Ribs website I learned that beans expand 2.5 times in volume once soaked and cooked. The recipe below will provide about 10 cups of beans.

Ingredients
2 cups dried black beans
1 cups dried pinto or pinqinto beans
1 onion chopped
6 cloves garlic chopped
8 thick-cut bacon, chopped and fried crispy.
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 can Ortega green chilies
1 cup Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks with juice
12 oz apple juice
¼ cup yellow mustard
1 Tbs cumin
2 tsp chili powder
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda

Possible additions
1 red bell pepper chopped
12 oz orange juice instead of apple juice

Directions
Clean dried beans. Soak in cold water overnight in the fridge, up to 18 hours.Change water at least once on a longer soak.
Dump water and put beans in a 9x13x3 inch aluminum pan.
Add the rest of the ingredients and spices. Stir to mix thoroughly.
Preheat smoker to 225F.
After 10-12 hours, remove cover to let beans get some smoke and thin a little.

 

[noboundaries]

Money shot of the butts, because who doesn't love a good butt shot? Taken just I was getting ready to take them off the WSM ro rest.

 

[noboundaries]

I'm glad I didn't do my "beans as a drip pan" idea. I measured the rendered fat in the drippings from the two butts...16 OUNCES!!!! Yikes! Scratch that part of my bean plan on the next smoke. Definitely smoke the butts on the bottom grate and the beans on the top grate.

Overall, a new delicious bean recipe, scrumptious pulled pork for several meals and the freezer, plus a lesson to avert a future cooking disaster. Old dog still learning.

 

[briggy]

Good post Ray, it definitely works. I did this with dry red beans last night. They were soaked overnight and I boiled for 20 or so to skim the gray foam off the top. From there they were in the smoker about 10 hours and probably could have handled going longer. Give us a post when you do these in the smoker.

 

[noboundaries]

Thanks, B. They get better the longer the leftovers sit in the fridge. Just had some mixed with rice. Soooo good.

 

[HalfSmoked]

I had the same thing happen with the dripping under a butt. I could and did actually pour fat off the top of the beans then covered them with a layer of paper towels and was good to go. Remember fat stays on top do this while it is still hot.

Warren

 

[QuyDaddi]

Winn-Dixie which is owned by southern grocers have some really good baked beans. I usually add bacon but wish there was more of a "smoke" flavor to it. I never thought about smoking canned beans but I will have to give it a shot with our new smoker.

 

[Steve H]

I've been cheating lately. I use my IP to rehydrate the beans. Then proceed as normal.

 

[journeymanjohn]

I'm soaking pinto beans now, so as to cook in a cast iron dutch oven tomorrow, on the smoker. I'll eventually use as a drip pan also, but this is just a trial run to see how long they take compared to a crock pot, before I try to time them with a brisket. I haven't done them on a smoker before. Planning on 250*F until whenever they are ready.

Have you any advice?

It's a nothing fancy recipe. Soak overnight with some salt. Rinse and cover with new water and a dash of salt in the dutch oven, with a meaty ham bone. Maybe a little cumin and cracked red pepper.