Kansas City Baked Beans

Name: Kansas City Baked Beans
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound dried navy beans, soaked for 4 hours in water and drained; 6 cups water; 1 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt, plus more to taste; 1 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt, plus more to taste; 4 slices bacon, chopped; 1 medium onion, chopped; 2 medium bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 green), seeded and chopped; 2 medium bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 green), seeded and chopped; 2 medium bell peppers (preferably 1 red and 1 green), seeded and chopped; 1 cup Struttin’ Sauce, Smoked Onion Sauce, or other tomato-based barbecue sauce, or more to taste; 1 cup Struttin’ Sauce, Smoked Onion Sauce, or other tomato-based barbecue sauce, or more to taste; 1 cup Struttin’ Sauce, Smoked Onion Sauce, or other tomato-based barbecue sauce, or more to taste; 1 cup apple cider; ⅓ cup molasses; ¼ cup yellow mustard; 1 to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

Preparation info

Serves
6 to 8

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Smoke & Spice

By Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison

Published 2014

About

Boston has no monopoly on baked beans. This is how they cook them out west in Kansas City, where barbecue sauce is a key ingredient and a few local “burnt” brisket ends sometimes add a powerful smoky flavor.

Ingredients

1 pound dried navy beans, soaked for 4 hours in water and drained
6 cups water

Americas
United States
Kansas
Side dish
Gluten-free

Method

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine the beans and water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook slowly, stirring up from the bottom occasionally for at least 2 to 3 hours, depending on the beans. Stir in the salt after the beans have softened. Add more water if the beans begin to seem dry. The beans are ready when they mash easily but