They don’t call it Beantown for naught, for it was in Boston that the notion of mixing beans with molasses was probably conceived, and this practice still reaches the peak of perfection there.
The original Boston baked beans were baked in an earthenware pot. They were sweetened with molasses, but the beans were not as sweet as you might expect them to be. Your kids probably would not like the traditional recipe, because the dominant taste is, well, beans. So I have kicked things up a bit to make it Boston Barbecue Beans. The secret is to cook them underneath a slab of ribs or pork butt so they catch the flavorful rub-laden drippings. The kids as well as Gramps will love these.
Makes 4 servings
Takes 3 to 4 hours to cook
1. Prep. Prepare the baby backs as directed for Last-Meal Ribs (page 206). Remove the membrane, trim, salt, and rub them.
2. Fire up. Get your smoker up to 225°F or set up the grill for two-zone cooking and shoot for about 225°F on the indirect side. Warm a 9-by-13-inch pan on the direct-heat side.
3. Cook. Put the bacon in the pan and cook until browned on both sides. Remove the bacon before it is hard and crunchy and set aside. When it cools, chop it into ½-inch chunks. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and save it in the fridge for another day.
4. Add the onion to the fat remaining in the pan and cook until it is limp but not brown. Add 2 cups hot water and then the beans, molasses, barbecue sauce, mustard, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and the cooked bacon. Stir thoroughly and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
5. Move the pan of beans to the indirect side and put the ribs on a rack above them. Start the smoke rolling by adding wood, close the lid, and let the beans catch the drippings while the meat cooks.
6. Stir the beans occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent things from sticking and burning. If one side is overcooking, turn the pan. Cooking time will be 3 to 4 hours, depending on the ribs, the temperature of your grill, and the weather. If the beans begin to dry out, add some water. Just before serving, taste them and add salt and pepper to taste, barbecue sauce, water, or more molasses. Stir in the lemon juice and/or the jalapeños, if desired.
7. Serve. Finish the ribs by painting them with barbecue sauce and sizzling them on the direct-heat side. Serve with the beans and other sides of your choice.