That's one of my (many
) pet peeves. Recipes that aren't really recipes, but modified boughten food. "I've got a really great recipe for baked beans. First get two cans of baked beans..."
Always reminds me of Steve Martin's joke, "How do you become a millionaire? First, get a million dollars..."
This isn't English Baked Beans or the molasses variety, but it sure is some of the best beans I've ever had:
Bigwheel’s World Famous Top Secret Prize-Winning Pinto Beans
2 lbs. washed pintos
1/3 lb. salt pork..or few strips bacon..or pork hock
(I fry up about half a lb. of bacon 'til it's not quite done then add it in)
1 onion
2 split and seeded japs or serrano peppers
3-4 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1 Tbsp. wooster sauce
3 Tbsp. chili powder (Try mix and match Ancho, Gebhardts, Chimayo, etc)
1 can extra Hot Rotel Tomatoes with Habs
(I use the Tomatoes with Green Chilis-turns out hot enough for me)
salt and pepper to taste
Cover beans with 2" of water and soak 1 hr. Drain and refill to same level. Add the salt pork and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat and put on the lid. Simmer till nearly done but not quite then add the other stuff and cook another 20-30 mins. Once you add the tomatoes they don't tender up any more.
Add water anywhere along the way if they get too dry. Veggies can be chopped..purreed or floated depending if your comp cooking or eating at home. If you feeding wimmen, chillin, or yankees you can use only half a can of the maters.
If you want them smokey..stick them in the smoke in the coolest part of the pit with the lid off for at least a coupla hours.
(The most important part, I think. Gives 'em a real nice smokey flavor.)