Barbecued Baked Beans

Rating: 5 of 5

Notes: This recipe called for way too much water. I used small white navy beans, and I had to drain most of
it to prevent overcooking them... fortunately, they still tasted amazing. I also had to cook it for an extra hour and a half. I used a French Press to make the coffee. The barbecue sauce and mustard were both flavored with different types of beers.

Ingredients:

• 4     ounces bacon (4 slices), chopped fine (Hickory Smoked)
• 1     onion , minced
• 4     cloves garlic , minced
• 1     pound dried small white beans (2 cups), rinsed and picked over
• 8     cups water
• 1     cup strong coffee (black)
• 1/2     cup barbecue sauce , plus extra for seasoning
• 1/4     cup packed dark brown sugar
• 4 1/2     teaspoons brown mustard (prepared)
• 1     tablespoon mild molasses
•     Tabasco sauce (or something similar)

Instructions:      1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
      2. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the beans, water, coffee, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco, and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cover and transfer to the oven. Bake, stirring every hour, until the beans are tender, about 4 hours.
      3. Remove the lid and continue to bake, uncovered, until the liquid has thickened to a syrupy consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Season the beans with additional barbecue sauce, Tabasco, and salt and pepper to taste.