BARBECUE BEANS

Red Beans are particularly good with this smoky barbecue taste.

1 cup dried red beans (or pinto, pink, kidney, or lima)
2-1/2 cups water
2 slices bacon
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 t salt
2 T ketchup
1 T chili sauce
1/2 T vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1/2 T prepared mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
dash of liquid smoke

Sort and soak beans overnight.  In a medium saucepan combine drained soaked beans and 2-1/2 cups water.  In a small skillet fry bacon until crisp.  Drain on paper towels, crumble.  Saute onion and garlic in bacon drippings until onion is tender.  Add sauteed onion mixture, crumbled bacon, and salt to beans.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until beans are just tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.  Drain, reserving cooking liquid.  In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup cooking liquid, ketchup, chili sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, and liquid smoke, if desired.  Stir well.  Add to beans mixing well.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes longer adding more cooking liquid as needed.  Makes about 2 cups of beans.

This makes more than 2 cups of beans.  I've never bought red beans before so I was happy to try that.  These beans are very nice.  I took the leftovers the next day and added them to some chili I had made that didn't have beans in it and used up the rest that way.  Could use a little more liquid though.  I ended up using some water because I was out of cooking liquid.