Ah barbecue season. Around here the last traces of Winter are only the white caps on the mountains, and our homes in the valley are definitely getting spring-y. It’s warm enough to spend time outside without a jacket. And that means… barbecue season. Last weekend we had the first one of the season. I volunteered to bring a couple of items. Of course. And I planned out two things: baked beans, and potato salad. Classic barbecue choices. But what started out as a small family gathering, quickly doubled in size and I realized I was going to be feeding A LOT of people. Here’s the thing. It’s just me and the hubbs here at home so I don’t really feed crowds very often. Meaning I pretty much never feed crowds. I am really good as scaling back recipes to just feed the two of us, with maybe some leftovers for the lunch the next day. But feeding 18+ people is not on my usual agenda. After a little experimentation, a ton of taste-testing, and some serious wingin’ it – I came up with this Smokey Baked Beans recipe. I adore the sugary aspect of baked beans. It’s that touch of sweetness you need on a plate of brisket, ribs, and brats. But when you pair that sweetness with a touch of smokey, beautiful things happen in your mouth. Everyone loved this recipe. None more so than me – it was so good! The other great thing about this recipe is that it’s written to feed 8 but you can easily half it or double it depending on your group size!
