Monday, May 30, 2016

Joey's Pineapple Baked Beans


 When I think of pork, there are usually two things that come to mind. If it's a delicious Glazed Baked Ham, I immediately think of pineapple, and if it's Pulled Pork or BBQ Ribs, I'm thinking of my fabulous and famous Baked  Beans. And why not? They're classic flavor combinations!
 Now maybe it's because I just returned from a tropical cruise (which was fabulous, btw), but right now I'm still in the mood for pineapple. So why not put the two together? Pineapple and baked beans??? ABSOLUTELY! Served with a delicious ham or with pulled pork, it all works! This is a slightly tweaked version of a recipe I saw on Justapinch.com. It's not as sweet as you think it might be, but it's absolutely sweet enough, and the pineapple definitely comes through. DELICIOUS!
Serve it up for your next BBQ. I betcha there won't be any leftovers!

5 strips bacon, cut into lardons
1 small onion, chopped
2 28oz cans baked beans
1 20oz can pineapple chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs mustard
2 tbs ketchup
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
S & P to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until some of the fat renders. Add the chopped onion and continue to saute until the bacon is a little crisp and the onions are slightly caramelized. In the meantime, drain the pineapples* and chop them up a bit.
 Drain any excess fat from the skillet and add the bacon and onions to a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Pour into a casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 40-45 minutes.

*I like to reserve about 1/4 cup of the drained juice and add it along with the other ingredients just for a little extra pineapple flavor, but it's entirely optional!


Tips:
If you'd prefer to use chopped fresh pineapple, go for it! It'll be roughly about 1 1/2 cups!
You can absolutely use crushed pineapple instead of the chunks, but I like to buy the chunks and then chop them down. You get smaller chunks, but not as small as the crushed.
Once again, the amounts are just guidelines. If you like a lot of something, add a lot! Like a lot of onions and/or bacon? Sure! Want more pineapple? Absolutely! You could even add a bit of chopped jalapeno for a little kick. Make it your own!

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