I’ve always enjoyed the flavor of Bush’s Best brand baked beans with barbecue sauce, as far back as I can remember, which is way back when I was a sophomore at New Albany High in Southern Indiana. I was stocking them on the shelves for Mr. Schmidt’s Meat Market and Grocery – I believe they were 8 for a dollar or something ridiculous like that.

Never will forget the guy that showed me how the Schmidt’s like the cans (or anything for that matter) to get priced and stocked:

“Make that price stamper sing like a machine gun!”

No pre-printed price labels or UPC codes back then – they were all ink stamps the best I remember. Guy named Darryl – he had a rhythm that you couldn’t help but turn your head to see what in the world was going that fast across the top of a case of cans!

Anyhow – those beans still remain my favorite today because you can do a few completely different recipes with them, as opposed to ranch style beans.

Let’s start with “Old Faithful”

Simple – per every #10 can of beans – (gallon) you’ll need the following :

• Saute skillet or pan
• Half-size aluminum pan or ovenware large enough for a full gallon o’ beans
• Preheated oven – 300 degrees
• One half of Vidalia onion diced/minced
• One pound of smoked pork or beef (Po’ boy used to take burgers and smoke them – not grilled – smoked! And used two or three burgers – works fine)
• OR the trimmings from your Smoked brisket,  pork shoulder, or left over pork chops.  Geeze – even smoked sausage is good to work here!
• 3 oz of BourbonQ Classic brand barbecue sauce
• Approximately 6 to 8 oz of Not Made in China Barbecue Sauce – (depends on how “wet” your pork is – assuming you did put some Not Made in China in with your pulled pork)

First up – let’s sauté or caramelize  the onion – pour a little olive oil into the pan – remember, you’re not deep frying – you need enough oil to just cover the bottom of the skillet or pan.

Medium heat and stir to get an even cook – just long enough to get the onions translucent or clear.

Now place the onion and the pork or meat mix in your ovenware or half size pan

Okay – Drain the excess juice from your can of beans – no you don’t have to – just trust me – try it this time. Pour the beans into the pan with the meat/onion and add your sauces – stir it up thoroughly.

Now if it looks like your batch might need some more moisture – add a couple more ounces of Not Made in China.

Next step – cover and bake in the oven for about an hour and 15 minutes or until it reaches at least 185 degrees (cooking until the beans reach 225 degrees is not a bad thing at all, by the way.)

That’s it! Easy as can be!

Now let the beans cool a bit before serving – and let me know how this version turned out!

Sure, you can add brown sugar and molasses… But Pappy’s saving the sweet recipe for the fall football season when we do a whole hog on the smoker!!