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This is a recipe that Jim graciously shared on Ray Basso's forum.

Jim is a classically trained chef,comp cook,and pit builder.

It is unusual in that it starts with canned Great Northern beans.

He also adjusts the heat with chipotle powder.

Jim Ball's Baked Bean recipe

Here's the way I make them. It's simple and tastes great:

3 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans, partially drained
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup barbeque sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 med onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced--seeds and membrane removed
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped brisket or pulled pork
1 tbsp bacon grease
3 or 4 strips uncooked bacon

Start by sauteeing the onion and bell pepper in the bacon fat until the onion is just starting to carmelize. Add the garlic and continue sauteeing just until the garlic starts to turn color. Remove from heat.

Mix the beans, barbeque sauce, cumin and brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the chopped brisket or pork and the sauteed onion & pepper. stir until mixed.

Taste and adjust flavors as needed by adding more brown sugar if not sweet enough or more barbeque sauce if not spicy enough for your tastes. Cayenne can be added to boost heat. Salt will probably not need to be added as there will be plenty from the beans and sauce. If the mixture looks too dry, add a small amount of water or beer.

Pour the bean mixture into a disposable aluminum pan. Lay the bacon strips across the top. Place the pan uncovered in your smoker for the last three hours of cooking. In a horizontal smoker place the pan nearest the hotter end, rotating end for end every hour to heat all sides of the pan equally. In a vertical, place the pan in the hottest portion of the chamber.

The beans are done when the bacon strips on top are done and it is hot and bubbly around the edges. The three hour cooking time is an estimate based on how my smoker performs. Yours may vary.
*****

My barbeque sauce is spicy, a little bit hot and not very sweet--more of a Texas or Southwestern flavor. To approximate it, start with a mild bbq sauce and add the cumin called out in the recipe. Try adding a teaspoon of Chipotle chile powder and half a packet of Tamarindo paste that has been dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water and strained to separate the stringy stuff and seeds from the pulp.

Jim Ball
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Good beans. I tried the recipe. I like Tom's other offering a little better, the one with tart apple, golden raisins and sesame oil. But, got along fine with this one.

I was interested in his use of tamarindo paste. On short notice, all I could find was tamarindo concentrate, used to make a fabulous fresco.

Mixed in some chipotle chili, but...I got lost. Not sure how Jim got back to a finished bbq sauce. Sounds cool. Maybe we can ask for a more detailed recipe.

Six pound brisket flat worked, but took 11 hours! Cool
Thanks guy's I can't wait to try this recipe. Can I smoke thie in my smokette? If so how long ( I know it's done when it's done). What temp, assume put it on the bottom rack. Can't wait to put some Ollie Gates ( Kansas City Q sauce on it).
Will be great for our K C Chiefs tailgaters. GO CHIEFS!!!
i2bbq
I found a recipe for making tamarind paste from the pods in a cookbook by Dave Dewitt. He writes books about hot peppers. But I found in the Latin stores that they sell tamarind paste prepared and frozen. The grocery store used to carry tamarind pods. The Latin grocer is seldom open. So, I would suggest buying a bag of the tamarind paste if you can find it, and storing it tightly wrapped in the freezer, labeled so you don't forget what it is. Or get your grocer to carry the tamarind pods, which are dry. Making the paste is messy and time consuming.
Peggy
2 Greyhounds....SMOKIN!!!!

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