Bourbon Baked Beans

These are probably better to share in the summer when you have barbecue cookouts to go to or whatever. That's actually when these were made, but I just found my (crappy) picture and recipe on my computer and realized I forgot to post them. Oops. But baked beans taste good any time of year. Add bacon and bourbon and these legumes are a side dish just about anybody can get behind.

Bourbon Baked Beans

serves ~8 as a side dish

• 1 pound pinto beans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves, chopped
• 1/4 pound bacon
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup bourbon

1. Soak beans in water the night before you would like to serve the baked beans.
2. Start early the next morning by caramelizing the onion and the garlic. Add the bacon and cook until crispy.
3. Transfer the beans, bacon, onions, and garlic to the crockpot and turn the heat to high.
4. Add in the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, molasses, ground mustard, vinegar, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bourbon. Stir together.
5. Cook on high heat for 4 hours then turn to low heat for 4 hours or until the beans are nice and soft. Finally let the beans sit on warm for an hour or so before serving to thicken up.