Uncle Big John's Picnic Beans

I'm making this for my church's Fall BBQ tomorrow.


This is a family tradition/favorite I do for special occasion BBQ's & picnics. I usually have to double the recipe.

One can each of:

green beans
butter beans
lima beans
kidney beans (all drained)
(I also add pinto beans- or any of your favorite beans.)

8 slices of smoky bacon (cut up and fried) (I use 8 for a double batch, too.)
4 med. onions, chopped. (5 is better for a double batch.)
3/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. powdered mustard

(It always can use more brown sugar, vinegar, and powdered mustard. Sometimes I add molasses.)

Fry bacon and remove from grease. Sauté onions in the grease. (I drain off most of the grease and deglaze the pan with the onions.)

Add brown sugar, vinegar, dry mustard, to a separate pan and heat until sugar is dissolved.
Pour over combined beans, bacon and onions, in a 2.5 quart casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees F. (I just simmer on the stove top till some of the liquid is steamed away.)

From the kitchen of Uncle Big John.

You had me except for the green beans. Really?

The vinegar is a bit of a puzzle, too.

DEFINITELY molasses!

Sounds like a terrific pot luck dish!

Lee

I got this recipe from my dear aunt in Florida and try to follow it closely, except I've left out the garbonzo beans which I dislike. Usually I don't put in the green beans but did this time. I did add a big can of Bush's Baked Beans since I only had one can each of lima and butter beans. This was supposed to be a double batch. as much as I love molasses I didn't use any this time.

The vinegar, sugar, and dry mustard give it a wonderful sweet/tart flavour. I did add what little I had left of a bottle of Vermont maple sirup this time along with the brown sugar.

I just put the one for my church BBQ together and it smells wonderful. It's simmering to get some of the juices down.

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Oooo! How beautiful, Johnny!

Lee

Calico beans!

Sass Muffin said:

Calico beans!

Click to expand...

Yes! The church lady that organized this said she called them calico beans, hadn't made them in years, and was hoping someone would make beans.

They were a hit and there was only a few cups left and will have them for dinner tonight. One of the guys asked me if I made them, said he loved the green beans. Go figure, I almost didn't put them in.

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