Hickory House Baked Beans

I love baked beans of every variety.  I love them out of a can....did I really just say that?  I love them made totally from scratch.  I also love them semi-homemade, which is what this recipe is. 

If you're in need of a good side dish for your upcoming Labor Day cookout try these Hickory House Baked Beans.  They take a little more effort than opening up a can of store-bought baked beans, but the nice thing is that they take on the flavors of your favorite barbecue sauce.  I added a little bit of dry mustard to mine, simply because I like to add dry mustard to all of my barbecue.  I also think you could replace the diced bell pepper with diced jalapeno for a little extra kick.  Flavor them your way!

Hickory House Baked Beans

Adapted from saveur.com

Serves 4-6

1/2 large red or green bell pepper (or maybe jalapeno)
2  15 oz. cans, drained cooked pinto or navy beans
1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 tbsp. worcestershire

Optional:  1-2 teaspoons dry mustard or your favorite bbq seasoning

Preheat oven to 375º. Stem and seed bell pepper, cut into 1/4" pieces, and put into a 2-quart or 8" x 8" baking dish. Add beans, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup water to dish and mix well. Drizzle worcestershire sauce on top. Bake until top is glazed-looking and browned, the beans start to peek up from the liquid, and the liquid is bubbling vigorously around the edges, 45-60 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

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