Cowboy Beans Recipe

How to make it

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• A heavy-bottomed Dutch oven prevents the beans from cooking too rapidly or scorching. If you're thinking ahead, you can soak the beans in 6 cups of water overnight (then skip step 1). Adjust the heat, smoke, or salt by stirring in more Tabasco or barbecue sauce at serving time.
• 1 pound dried pinto or navy beans , washed and picked clean of any debris
• 4 slices bacon , chopped fine
• 1 medium onion , chopped fine
• 4 medium cloves garlic , minced
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1 cup strong black coffee
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons prepared brown mustard (such as Gulden's)
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce plus 2 additional tablespoons
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1. Place beans and 6 cups water in large Dutch oven. Bring to boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and allow beans to sit for 1 hour. Drain beans. Clean and dry pot.
• 2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Add bacon to pot and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in onion and cook until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add drained beans, water, and coffee. Bring to simmer over high heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add brown sugar, mustard, 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, Tabasco sauce, and 2 teaspoons salt. Return to boil over high heat, cover pot, and transfer to oven.
• 3. Cook until beans are just tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove lid and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened to syrupy consistency, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Beans can be refrigerated for several days.)