Baked bean advice

TheToast · January 2016

Hi. I'm planning on doing my first overnight cook tomorrow - a pork butt (or as they say in the UK, pork neck end). I'd like to cook some beans alongside it and will probably follow this recipe:

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2014/06/best-barbecue-beans-recipe.html

Have you left beans to cook overnight? I have an old Le Creuset cast iron casserole dish which I plan to use. I want the smoke to get to the beans but also don't want them to dry out so should I leave the lid on, ajar? Or just compensate by adding more stock than the recipe suggests? I'm not sure what configuration will keep them from totally drying up over 8 or so hours. Advice appreciated! Alternatively, because it's a 5.7kg / 12.5 lb joint of pork, it's likely to cook into the morning, so I could always put the beans in when I get up.

Thanks in advance

Ladeback69 · January 2016

I have done it while cooking a brisket. I used it as a drop pan and collected the juices in the beans as it cooked. If you are going low like 250 or lower you should be ok if there is plenty of liquid in with the beans. Sounds good to me.

TheToast · January 2016

@Ladeback69 Thanks for the advice. I was also toying with the drip pan idea. Do you remember the volume of beans and water you used?

JRWhitee · January 2016

I cook my beans in a drip pan under my Butts too, I leave it there for the first 3 hours or so then refrigerate them. I put them back on when the Butts have an hour left. I think the beans would dry out if left for the whole cook, and they really don't need to be on that long.

paqman · January 2016

Leave the lid on

fishlessman · January 2016

lid on for the majority of the cook, lid of at the end for an hour or two has always worked for me, i make a pot pretty much weekly but usually overnight in the oven
this is pretty good too

http://www.modemac.com/cgi-bin/wiki.pl/Boston_Baked_Pork_and_Beans

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/en/jpa6d2kjg8uc.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5017260/uploads/editor/9p/bvhudnbymt0x.jpg

MrWilliams · January 2016

fishlessman - this is now number one on my to do list. I'm a huge baked beans fan. I'll have to score a dutch over first. Thanks for the link.

TheToast · January 2016

So I did these overnight, with a lid ajar and liquid nearly to the top, then another 2hrs with no lid. Turned out great! Little too sweet - I'll cut down on the honey next time. They look a bit dry in the photo but that's just the thin crust - they're really saucy when stirred

CtTOPGUN · January 2016

Looks great! I used another vid from the above mentioned "castironchaos" Youtuber for doing a brisket flat with boston baked beans. It came out quite good. Before winter is over I will do a pork shoulder with baked beans in a cast iron dutch oven. Good old PORK and beans!

Jim