# Jazzing up canned baked beans



## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

I would appreciate ideas on tarting up canned baked beans for a party of 
60. I'm going with two big cans of B & M baked beans, because I'm also making a large vat of Indian Pudding, cocktail sauce, garlic and clarified butter (it's a lobster boil) and planning/managing the whole thing. I feel guilty using canned stuff (most everything else will be custom-prepared by our Rotary members - no Costco food allowed) but I've always liked the B&M beans a lot, and will customize them. I'll probably cook them up in two or three batches, so I can try various strategies.

I'm planning to add diced, sauteed onions and green pepper, mustard, and probably bacon. I'm going to leave bacon out of one batch for our vegetarian members.

What else or something different would make them customized?

Thanks

Mike


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

I like your idea with the caps etc. That's a goer.

Another twist - smoked paprka, sliced fried kranskys. Garlic croutons to serve.

Could do one with a gratinee crust....tons of breadcrumbs and mixed cheeses.
Nice contrast of textures.

Curry one up - lots of garlic, onion, ginger, tomatoes (cherry tomatoes halved if you can get them- otherwise fairly big dice of best toms you can find). Cummin, coriander, turmeric etc.

Mediterranian twist - add sauteed zucchini, eggplant, olives (maybe - not everyone like them). Toss in some crumbled fetta/ricotta cheese. Dress it up with some shaved parmigano cheese. This will suit the non-carnivores. Kind of a baked bean ratatoille.

Full English breakfast. Beans, bacon, tomatoes, black pudding sliced and fried, chippolata sausages fried and added in (maybe sliced?). Garnish with quartered hard boiled eggs.

English again - Baked bean shephards pie. Onion, peas, lardons, top it off with a good layer of mashed tatties 

Nothing wrong with them coming out of a can 

Hope some of this helps.

DC


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## ed buchanan (May 29, 2006)

2 # 10 cans is cutting it close 
We figure 1 can per 25 guest. Also B and M run a bit liquidy . Bar B q sauce ,diced sausage, maple syrup. molassis, liquid chocolate. Mix in other kinds of beans, chives, scallions.diced water chestnuts.


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## chalkdust (Feb 18, 2009)

jamaican baked beans

chopped cleaned, honeycomb tripe, hamhocks, a lot of fresh chopped parsley and diced potatoes will make that dish divine

blanch/ boil all the meat for 20 minutes and rinse it all off. then cover wiht water again and stew the tripe with hamhocks and pigs feet for many hours with a bouqet garnier, also stew with this whole habanero/scotch bonnet peppers. but dont let them burst. add the sauteed onions, peppers and garlic to the beans

dump in the chopped up meat and skin, discarding bones and the liquid from the meat (important to add the liquid), you can add the whole peppers, dont let them burst

let all this simmer and add the potatos and simmer till it is thick enough and the potatos are cooked, then add some fresh prsley and chopped green onions.

adjust the taste of everytihng with htings like turbinado sugar, mustard, ketchup, worcestershire sauce.

i like them less sweet so i would probably even rinse/drain at least 1/4 of the canned beans

ditto on adding more beans/water chestnuts (delicious!)

curry up, good idea. and u can do this in jamaican tripe and beans too. (you can curry it up!)


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## deltadude (Dec 20, 2008)

Try to go with some South Western Flavors...

I love Charro Beans, the consistency tends to be soupy or runny liquid, not thick like baked or bbq beans.

Below is a basic recipe if starting from scratch, so you can figure the quantities from there.

I would make the sauce first, play with it until you get the flavors you want. Tip to get more spicy mexican flavor use 1/2 can tomatoes recommended and other half picate sauce. 

Since you are not cooking dried beans there are several ways you can get the liquid for your sauce. One way is to drain all the liquid from your canned beans take about 1/2 and thin either with water or chicken stock, bring to simmer then add all the ingredients below.

(The bacon isn't usually pre cooked, but since you are not doing the recipe from scratch, I would fry the bacon to soft meaty texture, then remove saute onions and garlic in bacon fat, drain (reserve) most of the bacon fat, then start your sauce with combining all the ingredients, plus the thinned bean liquid.) You need to get the consistency right before you add the beans or you will over cook the already cooked beans.

1 pound uncooked, dried pinto beans
8 cups water
1/2 pound bacon, diced
1 can (14 1/2 oz size) tomatoes, undrained
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (4 oz size) diced green chilies
4 chopped green onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 chopped cilantro 
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
fresh oregano for garnish 
1 cup beer
2 limes

Tip: One way I get flavor into Mex type dishes if I think they are lacking. I keep a batch of Pico de Gallo in the fridge. It starts to break down and has a lot of spicy liquid. I add that liquid to all kinds of dishes or sauces to get some kick or increase the flavors. A lot of stores sell semi fresh Pico de Gallo. Buy some and try it, you will like the results.


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## mikelm (Dec 23, 2000)

Ed-
Thanks a lot for your professional input. Will take it to heart.

Also for everybodys' ideas. Probably go for three of those big cans (not very expensive at our local Gordon Food Supply) and carefully consider every suggestion so far.

By the end of next week, I'll be the West Suburban Bean Maven! :chef:

So glad to be part of this community. eace:

Mike


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## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Always a hit and requested:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Baked Beans

Recipe By :Mary Brown
Serving Size : 16 Preparation Time :0:45
Categories : sides

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 48oz jar cooked white beans -- drained
1 pound bacon -- fried until not quite crispy, reserve the fat
1 large onion -- peeled and chopped
8 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup molasses
2 teaspoons dry mustard
4 teaspoons salt -- optional
2 teaspoons black pepper -- or to taste, start with 1/2tsp
4 tablespoons bacon fat
water -- just to cover everything

combine everything in a bbq pit or oven safe dish or crockpot. Cook at 225 to 250 or on low for the crockpot for 8 to 10 hours


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## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Now Mike, you know the price you pay for the advice is to come back in and tell what you did 

Seriously, I would like to know how it turns out, and how well it went down. Just because  Well ok, because it would be good for others to know too when they are looking at this thread in search of well received and enjoyed bean recipes.

P.S. Extra suggestion - I know it's cold over there, but would you go for a 3 bean salad mix? Baken beans, red kidney beans, canellini or borlotti beans Rinse them all and drain) - spice it up with some chilli salsa, serve with tortilla chips/dorito type thingies. Not sure how it would go served hot...maybe? Oh, almost forgot the sour cream/thick greek yoghourt to serve.


Another thought - do them in the first sauce you planned - make lasagne. Just as the sauce is, with cheese and bechamel as you want it.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Drained canned baked beans
coarse chopped yellow onion
ketchup
apple cider vinager
brown sugar
black pepper
worchester sauce

Then pork....either ham, cooked bacon, pulled pork

I don't have proportions on this one....nothing fancy, but gets wows.


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## homemadecook (Jan 27, 2010)

Like your ideas.. HOw did it go?


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## teamfat (Nov 5, 2007)

If you want to experiment a bit, instead of getting three cans of the same type of beans, get three different types. Old school baked beans with maybe extra molasses, chili powder and onion. Last week I made a white bean and ham soup that turned out quite well, the ham bone simmered with the beans for an hour or two.

Maybe brown some diced up lamb, saute onion, garlic and fresh chilies, throw it all in some black beans, garnish with chopped cilantro leaves on top. Maybe add a jar, tub or whatever of your favorite store bought salsa.

I do love smoked hamhocks in beans. Toss them in whole, fish out a couple hours later and pick out the meat as best you can. Kind of messy and tedious, but I do like the flavor.

mjb.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Father Dom's secret ingredient in this year's bread demo was a can of baked beans.....ground up, he probably used the vegetarian ones.


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