Declared the best beans he's ever eaten by my teenager, I love to get these going in a crockpot on a cold, rainy Saturday and serve with hot crusty bread for dinner. Feel free to swap the kinds of beans around to a combination you like, we usually use whatever is in the cupboard. They would probably be amazing with some spicy chorizo sausage thrown in, too!
Ingredients:
5 slices bacon, chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce (or ketchup if you don't have any)
1 1/4 cups Guinness (about 1 bottle)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup grainy mustard
2 cans (19 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (19 oz) black beans
1 can (19 oz) white beans
2 tbsp tomato paste
Saute the bacon over medium heat until cooked through. Remove, drain on paper towel, and crumble. Drain off all the fat but about a tablespoon, then saute the onions in it over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute a little more until fragrant. Transfer the bacon and onion to a large slow cooker.
Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker except the tomato paste, give it a good stir, and set on low for six hours.
If you feel the beans are a little runny, stir in some tomato paste to thicken them up a bit. They will thicken as they cool, so you won't need too much. You can also add a little hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 8
Adapted from Spilling the Beans
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