I want to make these beans in my 008 but don't want to oversmoke. Suggestions?

I think you will be fine with that amount of time. I would suggest that you stir the beans after they are completely done so that any smoke flavor sitting on top is distributed throughout the beans.

Please come back and post your results. Would love to read about them. The recipe sounds pretty good.

John

Steve,
That's a delicious sounding recipe. Since Alton Brown is one of my favorites, I suspect it will be great. Prior to purchasing my 055, I had not had good homemade smoked beans. Smokin' Okies beans are my current favorite. I get raves every time I make them. I'm glad you posted as it provides an opportunity to consider my latest screwups. Now that I think about it, for the same reason, I appreciate everybody's recipes and suggestions on the CS forums.
I've made smoked beans quite a few times and always manage to try
something new which usually leads to a learning opportunity. While my wife is sometimes less than impressed, pointing out my mistakes, I take the Edison line and remind her that I've discovered one more thing that doesn't work.
My latest discoveries? Glad you asked. Based on your instructions, you're obviously aware of the need to heat the beans on the stove prior to placing in the smoker. Placing refrigerated beans in the smoker is a great idea in the short run and lousy in the long run. I suppose if you wanted more time to drink beer you might mistakenly leave this step out. Some circumstances can be used to our advantage although I found for the most part this isn't one of them. I've had a small degree of success explaining the concept of "low and slow" to SWMBO. Complementing her for her patience, I've expressed my appreciation for her finely tuned palate. I've learned humility is instrumental in reducing my stress level as I explain the virtues of a 19 hour smoked pork butt. As you can tell, I'm quite shy and tend to avoid public speaking.

Also, I'm sure some of the more adventurous forum members may get bright ideas such as hanging bacon strips above the beans for additional flavor, I'd think twice about throwing the bacon into the pot. Bacon doesn't take long to smoke and can add an extremely acrid flavor to the beans you've lovingly concocted. Without tasting first, throwing the chopped strips in can also increase the time required to fish them out.

I like the time you've allowed in the 008. Two hours should provide an excellent perceptible level of smoke absorption. You should experiment over the course of several batches. Some like more smoke, some less. One of my experiments leads me to believe 3-4 hours was too long. My next door neighbors thought it was great however. I now occasionally speculate as to whether my taste buds will become useless as I approach 85.
Of course the amount and type of wood will play a part. Covering and essentially baking for an additional 4 hours is a great idea. You may want to stir prior to covering. This would be a good time to add liquid if necessary to maintain the correct consistency.

I wish I had thought to simmer the bacon, onions and whatnot prior to placing in the dutch oven. It would have avoided what my wife now refers to as the "bacon snake". When mentioned, she will usually involuntarily screws her face up and sticks her tongue out . Did you know that bacon snakes do not stick to the refrigerator like spaghetti? Reviewing my methods for that smoke session, I've determined the beans could have used another hour or so in the 055. A later session, given, ample time in the smoker, showed this to be true. Everything cooked to perfection.

Your recipe looks great. Let us know how it turns out. Depending upon the degree of success you experience, I may need to make some modifications . I'll keep the forum informed as to what they should attempt to avoid. I'll close now as once again, my beautiful wife is affectionately calling me (something). I guess I'll turn my hearing aids on again.

-Grub

Update on the beans.

Did a double batch of beans exactly as the recipe stated for the prep. One batch went into the oven in an enamel lined cast iron 7.5 qt dutch oven.

The other went into an aluminum disposable pan on the lower rack in the Smokette. 2 oz of hickory. No lid/covering whatsoever.

Beans in the oven were done in about 5.5 hours. Very good recipe. Tasted like good baked beans.

Beans in the smoker were smoked for six hours uncovered. Stirred once at the three hour mark then again at the five hour mark and then removed after six because they just weren't getting very tender like the oven beans. Even though the smokette was set at 250, not sure it even actually stayed there like an oven would. e.g. not sure my temps are at what the dial says. Need to test that this week. Probes used tested out fine in boiling water prior to the beans, just to make sure.

So we pulled them, put them in the dutch oven used in the traditional batch, and finished them over the next three (!) hours in the oven.

They were AWESOME. A nice smoked hickory flavor. A little less sweet than the other beans. A bit firmer. Not greasy or weird tasting at all.

Highly recommended. But do it a day before the butt/rib/meat smoke. They reheated nicely covered on the stove.

Were the beans put in the cookshack brought to a boil first like the oven beans?

If they weren't that's one thing and then there's the difference between the environment of an open tray and a sealed dutch oven. The pressures are way different between those two. So, that would be the biggest difference in your cooking times.

I think your cookshack temps are OK. Good to check them, but they should be fine.

Glad to hear you had some good beans!!!

quote:

Originally posted by cronyism sucks:
Were the beans put in the cookshack brought to a boil first like the oven beans?

Yep. Exactly the same on both batches.

quote:

If they weren't that's one thing and then there's the difference between the environment of an open tray and a sealed dutch oven. The pressures are way different between those two. So, that would be the biggest difference in your cooking times.

No doubt. The no lid thing in the smoker was what I didn't know from a cooking time.

quote:

I think your cookshack temps are OK. Good to check them, but they should be fine.

Glad to hear you had some good beans!!!

Thanks. I assume they are. Just want to check.

quote:

Originally posted by cronyism sucks:
Were the beans put in the cookshack brought to a boil first like the oven beans?

If they weren't that's one thing and then there's the difference between the environment of an open tray and a sealed dutch oven. The pressures are way different between those two. So, that would be the biggest difference in your cooking times.

I think your cookshack temps are OK. Good to check them, but they should be fine.

Glad to hear you had some good beans!!!

How can you tell from the post if Steve's Smokette is averaging the set 250*F temp ?

Just said I "think" it's OK and said it's good to check.

Science tells me that the times he thought were too long were in the right area. That and common sense.

Why the rolling eyes?