Myron’s Peach Baked Beans
I always try to make any food taste good by preparing it as simply as possible. This comes from the original idea of how barbecue was started and why it has become so popular: It’s a way to cheaply and efficiently feed a lot of people some tasty food. My beans recipe is no different. I keep it simple and focus on enhancing the flavors that people have come to love and expect in baked beans. I’m not trying to fool anybody here: baked beans are a barbecue staple. And some people just don’t like them at all because they tend to be sweet. In other words, I’m not trying to convert anybody with this recipe; I’m preaching to the converted. This is my take on how classic baked beans always ought to taste. Note that you have to soak your beans overnight to get them tender; some people say you don’t, but I believe it’s the only way to really make sure they’re going to taste right. If time is an issue, you can substitute canned baked beans in this recipe; personally, I think they taste great, too.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the beans in a large nonreactive bowl, and add enough cold water to cover them by 3 to 4 inches. Cover the bowl loosely with a kitchen towel and leave the beans to soak at room temperature overnight.
Step 2
When you are ready to cook the beans, rinse them thoroughly in fresh cold water, and drain.
Step 3
Place the beans in a large pot, and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour. Drain the beans.
Step 4
Preheat a smoker or oven to 300˚F.
Step 5
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt and pepper, mustard, maple syrup, ketchup, pie filling, and peppers. Mix well. Then add the beans and stir again. Pour the bean mixture into a large aluminum pan (for the smoker) or into a large ovenproof baking dish or Dutch oven. (You can assemble the beans to this point 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook them.)
Step 6
Add just enough water to the pan to cover everything, and cover the pan with aluminum foil. Cook in the smoker or oven until the beans are tender, about 4 hours, checking hourly to make sure they aren’t drying out (if they are, add more water to the pan). The beans are done when the top is dark brown and bubbling. If you want the top to be slightly crunchy, uncover the pan for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Step 7
Let the beans stand for about 15 minutes, then serve.
