Baked Beans

[butch-innj]

We've covered potato salad, bologna salad, spaghetti sauce and homemade pasta so lets tackle baked beans.

I think it'd be interesting to see how everyone makes the ol'favorite at picnics & BBQ's ...baked beans.

Do ya'll just open up a can of Bush's and heat them up or do you Dr them up or do you get really industrious and make them from scratch?

I buy cans of Bush's beans and Dr them up with onion, a little BBQ sauce and some crumbled bacon.

 

[spoodles]

Bush's Beans?!

Don't you have Heinz Beans in the US?

They are the ONLY baked beans worth eating!

Heinz Bean'z' on toast = heaven!

 

[panthera]

Heinz in the UK

Is a million billion trillion times better than Heinz in the US, today.
Sadly.
For the Americans,the Brits get the same Heinz baked beans today we had back in the 1970's.
Sigh.

 

[spoodles]

I didn't know that.

Heinz Beans are probably their most famous product in the UK, probably even more so than their ketchup. Other brands' beans are just poor imitations over here!

I always assumed their beans would be just as popular in the US.

 

[jeffg]

We usually use this recipe, or if we're in a hurry we just combine a few cans of baked beans with cooked bacon or sliced Ball Park beef hot dogs (I prefer hot dogs to bacon, no pre-cooking necessary).

2 16 oz cans Pork and Beans
1/4 cup Jack Daniels
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1 Tb liquid smoke
1 Tb cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice

Combine and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or bake at 350F for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

 

[butch-innj]

YUCK !

at Heinz's beans AND catsup....or ketchup...however you spell it.

Yes, we have them on our grocery shelves and thats exactly where they are going to stay...for my money.

We also have Campbells baked beans which are really bland and absolutely have to be Dr up.

I prefer Hunts catsup (or ketchup) its got alot more flavor.

 

[butch-innj]

For JeffG

Thats looks like a good recipe, I'd try that !

Anything with JD on/in can't be all bad....LOL

 

[davek]

Heinz

I've had Heinz beans both in the UK and a grey market can that I bought. Americans expect beans to be both sweeter and thicker than Brits do. Showing up at an event with Heinz UK beans here would make most people think that you'd bought the Bush's Showboat Pork & Beans and hadn't bothered to do anything to them. That wouldn't be a popular choice among Americans, especially in the South. English don't like American style beans nearly as well, so it's all kind of even. If English expats are looking for something similar to their beloved Heinz, Bush's Showboat are close.

As for Heinz UK beans, they are neither what they were in the US in the 70s nor are they what they were in the UK just a few years ago. They made a slight change a few years ago. I doubt they were identical products any more recently than probably WWII. I know that the UK ones lost there pork chunk somewhere around that time.

Bush's Grillin' beans are probably the best ones straight out of the can (don't remember the names, but the green, maroon, and black labels were best). Any variety of Bush's beans can be made passable by adding some crushed red pepper and dried onions before heating. I prefer the barbecue and the maple varieties. I've never found any other varieties to be edible without costing a lot more than Bush's.

JeffG's recipe actually sounds quite good if you're willing to get into it that far. By adding enough little pieces of bacon and other stuff to them, even store brand beans could be alright.

I sure love some baked beans...

 

[panthera]

Bush Vegetarian Baked Beans

are good.
There are no good German baked beans. Just dreadful and even worse.

 

[hoovermatic]

Branston BB

I was a Heinz devotee until I tasted Branston. Am a complete convert now and won't eat anything else! YUM!!!

 

[seamusuk]

Branston!!!!!

Hey Paul

I TOTALLY agree with you- Branston beans make Heinz seem watery and tastless

You can normally find thenm for 99p-£1.29 for a 4 pack if you look round as well

Seamus

 

[aquarius1984]

Couldnt personally think of any worse a meal, dont take any meal for granted but beans on toast turns my stomach and makes me heave, have to be really really in the mood to buy them and even more in the mood to eat baked beans with anything - usually with a good pie and chips, gravy or used to bulk out a cottage pie.
No particular brand either.

Mostly only use them in potato salad with the sauce washed off.

If there is one thing that puts me off certain pubs and restaurants is seeing the childrens menu with baked beans served as the only vegetable.
And we wonder why when given this kind of choice children get so adamant they dont like veggies. All in the brain if you ask me.

Come to think of it I cant even remember the last time I had them!

As for a nice tasty mixed bean and veggie soup/stew now thats a different case!

I f I had to argue a brand id say Heinz as the texture of the beans is perfect for a tater salad but if I was to buy them to feed someone else id probably just chuck whichever ones I saw first into the trolley.

Rob

 

[douglasdc6]

I like the Bush`s best with the maple cured Bacon.
This company obviously is devoted to providing a good product.

 

[jeffg]

Ok, Rob doesn't like baked beans. Make a note everyone.

The idea of eating baked beans every day makes me heave too, but not nearly as much as other "fast" food, e.g. anyone remember H.Salt Fish & Chips? There used to be one in my neighborhood, and that smell of rancid fishy grease actually did make me sick.

 

[butch-innj]

IN potato salad???

I've never heard of anyone, anywhere, putting beans in their
potato salad. That sounds terrible !
But then again, just because it sounds terrible dosen't mean it is.
To me, oysters, clams and liver look terrible but I love all 3.

 

[charbee]

My mom always made this simple but yummy recipe:

1 large can Campbell's Pork-and-Beans
1 cup brown sugar
1 large yellow onion cut into rings
1/2 cup Hunt's ketchup
1/2 cup French's yellow mustard
salt/pepper to taste

Mix all in a casserole and bake for about 45 minutes @ 350 degrees.