The most called for recipe at our house is Charley’s Beans, the sweet and hot beans. These beans seem to always get stories about ‘the best beans I ever had’ from our dinner guests and I always get an empty crock pot (or people requesting to take the leftovers home!)
Keep it simple – watch your ratios – a little more or less of any of the beans is OK. – I use a 6 quart crock pot. Watch you crock pot, some are hotter and some are cooler. Some do a vigorous boil on low (beware), and some are real slow cookers, this will take you learning your tool!
If you are adverse to hot, start with one tablespoon of the Sriacha HOT chili Paste
Although I list Green Tabasco sauce, sometimes I use Cholula hot sauce. Start with your crock pot on low and lets add a few things!
1 30 oz can diced tomatoes (juice and all for this item)
2 15 oz cans black beans drained and rinsed (Important Rinsed CLEAN – or you will have a crock pot of grey muck)
2 30 oz cans Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans – Just drain the sauce from the top (too much juice makes the beans runny)
1 30 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed (Clean – See above)
Siracha HOT Thai Chili Paste (rooster sauce) 2 Heaping Tablespoons)
3/4 lb brown sugar (more or less I just guess)
20 – 30 shakes green Tabasco sauce
half a jar of salsa or so (about 12 oz) (green or red, hot or mild – You choose – a mild red on your first outing)
1 brown onion chopped (If you mince it it will disappear in the the beans, so half inch square chunks)
1 purple onion chopped (Same on this onion – or use two of these – or use two of those or …)
leave on low for 4 to 6 hours (Stir and taste every hour or two – and add more beans if you eat too much and the crock pot is going down –
Add Any bean to the mix – just follow rinsing and draining directions! – remember its all about ratios)
during the last two hours add 2 – 15 oz cans kidney beans drained and rinsed clean (some kidneys can get tough – others don’t – I like the red for color) Best served with the Smoked Chicken!
Charley’s Beans – Come and Get It!
About The Chef – Charley loves to cook for a group, whether the group is six or twenty. Creating new concoctions from others recipes by altering quantities, leaving out some parts and adding other parts creates his personal style. All of his recipes are available for everyone to use.
