Smoky Barbecue Beans Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated Mar. 05, 2019
20160812-scrapcook-barbecue-beans1.jpg
Photograph: J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • Smoked meat and a blend of spices add tons of flavor to beans, whether you slow-simmer them or cook them rapidly under pressure.
  • Contrary to popular belief, adding salt to the bean-cooking water helps tenderize them more evenly.

These smoky barbecue beans aren't the over-sweet, molasses-y ones you're used to. Instead, they're deeply spiced with paprika, cumin, and plenty of black pepper, and given added depth with dried red chilies. Chunks of smoked meat (sausage, leftover barbecue, bacon, or whatever else you have on hand) add a campfire fragrance to round them out.

Recipe Facts

4.3

(8)

Active: 20 mins
Total: 90 mins
Serves: 8 to 12 servings

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound (450g) dried pinto beans, picked over

  • Kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil or lard

  • 1 large onion (about 8 ounces; 225g), finely diced

  • 2 stalks celery (about 4 ounces; 115g), finely diced

  • 4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)

  • 1 tablespoon (12g) ground cumin

  • 1 tablespoon (12g) paprika

  • 2 tablespoons (20g) coarsely ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 2 whole dried New Mexico, guajillo, California, or pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons (5g) dried oregano

  • 8 to 12 ounces (225 to 340g) leftover smoked beef, pork, or turkey, chopped (see note)

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1/4 cup (2 1/4 ounces) brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar

Directions

  1. To Cook on the Stovetop: Place beans in a large bowl and cover with water by at least 2 inches. Add 1 tablespoon salt, stir to dissolve, and let beans stand on the countertop overnight.

  2. The next day, drain beans and set aside. Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cumin, paprika, black pepper, dried chilies, oregano, and chopped meat. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans, bay leaves, and 8 cups (2L) water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a bare simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are completely tender and liquid is reduced to a rich consistency, about 3 hours. Stir in sugar to dissolve, stir in vinegar, season to taste with salt and pepper, discard bay leaves, and serve.

  3. To Cook in a Pressure Cooker: Heat vegetable oil in pressure cooker medium-high heat until shimmering (if using an electric pressure cooker, set it to "sauté" and allow to preheat). Add onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add cumin, paprika, black pepper, dried chilies, oregano, and chopped meat. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beans, bay leaves, and 6 cups (1.5L) water. Place lid on cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and release pressure in short bursts. Remove lid and simmer until beans are completely tender and liquid is reduced to a rich consistency, about 15 to 30 minutes. Stir in sugar to dissolve, stir in vinegar, season to taste with salt and pepper, discard bay leaves, and serve.

Special equipment

Electric or stovetop pressure cooker (get our full review)

Notes

These beans are tastiest with leftover smoked brisket, beef chuck, pork, or turkey. If you don't have leftover smoked meat, you can omit it, or replace it with 6 ounces of chopped, cooked bacon or 8 ounces of your favorite smoked sausage, cooked and chopped.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
252 Calories
7g Fat
34g Carbs
15g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 237mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Dietary Fiber 8g 27%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 15g
Vitamin C 4mg 20%
Calcium 88mg 7%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 722mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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