This is a great recipe when you need a fast side dish to accompany your meal. Combine your favorite variety of beans to make this smoky dish. It’s a great complement to brisket or pork butt, and is savory enough to eat just as it is.
YIELD: 12 SERVINGS • COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
½ lb (227 g) bacon, sliced into small pieces
½ cup (75 g) onion, diced
½ lb (227 g) ground chuck
½ cup (122 g) ketchup 1 tsp yellow mustard
½ cup (110 g) brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 ml) cider vinegar
1 (20-oz [560-g]) can pork and beans
1 (20-oz [560-g]) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (20-oz [560-g]) can lima beans, rinsed and drained
Set up your grill or smoker for 350°F (177°C), indirect heat.
Place a Dutch oven directly on the hot charcoal. Allow it to heat up for 10 minutes.
In the bottom of the Dutch oven, fry the bacon with the diced onion for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the beef and cook until the beef is browned, about 5 minutes. Drain the fat and add the remaining ingredients to the pan, stirring well.
Place the uncovered Dutch oven on the indirect section of your grill or smoker. Place the lid on the cooker and bake for 30 minutes, or to the desired consistency. Rotate the Dutch oven after 15 minutes to help ensure even cooking.
Remove the Dutch oven from your smoker and serve (we like to present them in bell pepper cups).
OPERATION BBQ RELIEF IN ACTION
Fergolicious BBQ got involved with Operation BBQ Relief in 2016 when they approached us about being apart of an upcoming cookbook. We were honored to be included in this amazing project and excited to contribute to the OBR mission. As competition cooks, we travel across the country doing our best to provide excellent BBQ entries to the judges. While winning and rankings drive our desire to compete, our ultimate goal—much like that of the Operation BBQ Relief—is to make a positive impact on those we come in contact with along the way.
—RICH FERGOLA, Fergolicious BBQ