SWEET and SPICY MEXICAN BAKED BEANS
Ingredients4 slices of bacon
1 sweet onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced (diced from a jar is okay)
1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 sweet red pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 to 3 chipotle chiles from a can (using 3 will result in a medium heat)
¼ cup freshly-squeezed lime juice
½ cup tequila
½ cup raw blue agave nectar
2 teaspoons finely-ground dark roast coffee grounds*
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 15-ounce cans of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can of black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
Instructions- Preheat the pit to 300°F to 325°F.
- In a cast iron Dutch oven, brown the bacon slices on both sides over medium heat. Stop short of becoming crispy.
- Remove the bacon and reserve.
- Remove all but about 2 teaspoons of fat from the Dutch oven and discard.
- Add the onions and garlic to the fat and drippings remaining in the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until softened but not transparent.
- Add all the remaining ingredients, except for the beans and the reserved bacon. Stir to thoroughly combine.
- Slice the bacon into small pieces and gently stir in it and the beans.
- Wait for the Dutch oven to simmer and then transfer it to the pit, uncovered.
- Cook, uncovered, for 2 hours.
- Stir every half hour.
*I usually substitute ½ cup of leftover liquid coffee for the coffee grounds.