Mama Smith’s Baked Beans
When I was a kid, I spent the summers with my grandparents. My grandmother, Mama Smith, was a great cook, and she cooked everyday. No matter what she made for a homecoming, pot luck or family reunion, it was always the first dish empty.
One of my favorite dishes she made was baked beans. They are simply the best especially when along side of pulled pork sandwiches, hamburgers or hot dogs. I’ve never made her baked beans for a crowd that someone didn’t ask for the recipe. They are sweet and savory, a perfect side dish. I hope you try them at your next cookout or barbeque. I can almost guarantee compliments!
Mama Smith's Baked Beans
Baked beans are the perfect side dish for BBQ or to bring to a potluck. A sweet and savory dish flavored by ground beef, peppers and onions.
Servings 10
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cans pork & beans (21 oz)
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Brown ground beef and onion in oil.
- rain well and mix the rest of the ingredients together.
- Put into a large glass pan and bake at 350° for about 45 minutes.
Notes
I often only add a half cup of ketchup in an attempt to make it a bit healthier. 😀 You can adjust the sweetness to your taste. I mix in lesser amounts and taste and adjust until it suits my taste for that day.
I love food! I read cookbooks like they were novels. I get giddy in a farmer’s market. I find a chicken in a pot surrounded by carrots, onion, and celery a thing of beauty. My favorite sound is Mmmmmmmm!
Aww, Mama Smith was tugging at my heartstrings in the the first couple of sentences of your post! I love home made baked beans.
There’s some conjecture that links baked beans and Cassoulet to the expulsion of the Jews from Portugal and Spain and their Sabbath dishes, Cholent and Adafina. The Jews were the first Mediterranean people to domesticate fava beans, 10,000 years ago and they were the only beans in Europe until 1492. Most Spanish bean, lentil or chickpea stews are based on Adafina.
So interesting! That’s one of the reasons I love your blog. I learn so much. I’m going to look up Adafina! Mama Smith was an excellent woman and cook and everyone who knew her loved her and her food. She lived to be 99, so you know that food was good! 😀
Wow – 99 is amazing!
The Jews came to Spain with the Phonecians or perhaps later with the Romans, but they were definitely there for 1500 years and their contribution to food and culture is often grossly overlooked.
I agree! My husband’s family is from Segovia and there is a lot of interesting Jewish history there. From a modern perspective, it’s all pretty sad.
Well the 15th Century is properly historic – a time where people didn’t know any better than to prohibit other cultures and beliefs, whereas, there’s no excuse for it today. But, no matter what, the Jewish contribution to Spanish food and culture is acknowledged and appreciated today and I think that’s very important.
Me too! Just to think their contribution lead to my childhood memories. That is a wonderful thought!