Ed Mitchell's Carolina-Style Baked Beans

 As mentioned in a previous post, we hosted Easter at our house this year.  To that end, I assigned member's of my family different dishes to make for our pot-luck Easter barbecue.  For my part, I made a lobster mac & cheese, a lemon curd and berry trifle, a flourless chocolate torte, and this baked bean recipe.

My father was the baked bean king of our family.  His Boston Baked Beans are the stuff of legend.  I didn't want to even try to replicate his recipe, so I went to the cookbooks and found this recipe in my "Bobby Flay's Throwdown!" cookbook.  Not only was it the winner of the baked bean and ribs Throwdown, it was super easy to make, and had everyone asking for the recipe!

So, for those of you at Easter who asked (and anyone else interested) here it is.  As always, try to use organic ingredients wherever possible.


Ed Mitchell's Carolina-Style Baked Beans

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons freshly minced ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 (16-ounce) cans kidney beans, undrained (use organic if you can)
• 1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, undrained (use organic if you can)
• 1 (16-ounce) can black beans, undrained (use organic if you can)
• 1 cup Ed's BBQ Sauce (recipe follows)
  
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 bottle beer
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large saute pan, cook bacon over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and peppers and cook until soft. Add dry mustard and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, BBQ sauce, molasses, brown sugar, and beans. Stir and simmer on stove for 2 hours (or bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour). Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.

Ed's North Carolina Western BBQ Sauce

• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 4 ounces liquid smoke
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a bowl (that's it!).