Mexican baked beans are perfect for a Mexican barbeque…any barbeque for that matter.
I can honestly say that I’ve never heard of Mexican baked beans. I find that odd. After all, the Mexican grill offers up some excellent barbeque, yet there’s no baked beans. Sure, there’s black beans and refried beans, but let’s be honest; they tend to hang out at the bland side of the flavor spectrum.
When you think about all the great flavors Mexican cuisine offers, it’s easy to imagine how tasty a pot of baked beans would be. The hearty and spicy nature of Mexican cooking is perfect for baked beans. Think chipotle peppers, cilantro, lime and cumin.
I have several great Mexican-style barbeque recipes that are actually some of my favorite, but they always lacked in the baked bean department. Sure, my Momma’s Southern-style baked bean recipe is out of this world, it’s just that they don’t quite capture the spirit of a Mexican barbeque. Therefore, I had to hit the test kitchen and develop my own version of baked beans…Mexican style.
I’ve actually been serving these more often with Southern-style barbeque as well as most of my Mexican entrees. People seem to like the change of pace. I think you will, too.
- 2 15-oz cans black beans, one can drained and rinsed
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- zest of one lime
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 4 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or chipotle chile pepper
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.
- Pour mixture into an an 8-inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
- Preheat a grill for indirect cooking using medium heat, about 325 °F (165 °C)
- Cover beans and place on the grate opposite the fire. Cover grill.
- Cook beans for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove from grill. Stir just prior to serving.
- Garnish with more chopped cilantro, if desired.
Recipe © 2015 Gary Glen | Photo © 2015 Gary Glen | All rights reserved
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