Balsamic BBQ Baked Beans with Chipotle Smoked Porter

So, it’s the 4th of July, and I’m just chilling at home. I have the day off, hubs is working. I don’t have any parties or gatherings to go to, and honestly, I am A.O.K. with that. It’s been relaxing, and I’m loving every bit of it.

Even though nobody is around, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to engage in some good ol’ American food for the holiday! I present to you a slightly different take on the standard baked beans!!

It starts out with onion, celery, and carrots sauteed in a bit of bacon fat.

If you don’t have bacon fat lying around, that’s fine, you can use olive oil. If I were you, whenever you DO feel the need to cook bacon, find an empty, and preferably clean jar, and reserve that precious fat! Waste not, want not, right? If you happen to run out of olive oil, it will save you a trip to the store!

Then, once your veggies are translucent, add in the balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan a bit, then add in the tomato paste, mustard, rosemary, cocoa powder, salt, paprika, and pepper. Mix well, and let it cook for about two minutes.

Then, when you’re ready, add the beans and veggie mixture to a crock pot.

Mix well.

Then add in the water and smoked porter with chipotle peppers!

You can really use any porter, or dark beer for that matter. I personally couldn’t detect the chipotle flavor in this beer. I used it anyway. Actually, now that I’m thinking of it, I probably should have also added a couple teaspoons of chipotle peppers to these beans! D’oh! You can, and let me know how it turns out!

Serve your baked beans with your favorite all-American sides.

I love Emeril’s Blue Cheese Slaw, so that’s what I served with my beans. Serving the beer you made the beans with is also a nice touch.

It seems to help with detecting the flavors of the beer in the beans. Yum! So good!

What’s your favorite side to serve with your Fourth of July Meal?

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Balsamic BBQ Baked Beans w/ Chipotle Smoked Porter

Baked Beans made with beer. Need I say more?!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours

Servings 10 people

Calories 158kcal

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 1/2 Cups Diced Onion
• 1 Cup Diced Celery
• 1 Cup Diced Carrot
• 1/2 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Whole Grained Dijon Mustard
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
• 2 Teaspoons Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Bourbon Smoked Paprika (regular smoked is fine)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
• 12 Ounces (fluid) (one 12oz bottle) Stone Brewing Smoked Porter with Chipotle Peppers
• 5 Cups Water
• 2 Cups Dried Yellow Eye Beans (Great Northern dried beans would work fine too)

Instructions

• Start a pot over medium high heat, adding in the olive oil. Add in the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes.
  
• Add in the balsamic vinegar to de-glaze the pan for a minute, then add in the tomato paste, dijon mustard, rosemary, cocoa powder, salt, paprika, and pepper. Mix well, and continue to sauté for another two minutes.
  
• Set a crock pot on high, and add in the beans, vegetable mixture, rosemary, beer, and water. Cook the beans for 4 hours, stirring occasionally, until tender. If you don’t have a crock pot, you can simmer the beans in a stock pot, on low heat, until tender.

Nutrition

Calories: 158kcal

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