Bastard Black Beans with Smoked Turkey Leg
Texas-style beans are a staple with a great BBQ feast. This Bastard Black Beans with Smoked Turkey Leg recipe uses Stone Brewing Co. Oaked Arrogant Bastard as a foundational building block, adding rich malty undertones with a touch of barrel-aged goodness, to complement the smoky BBQ | grilled proteins that come with a good Texas-style BBQ.
This recipe uses high-quality black beans from Rancho Gordo, a specialty purveyor of heirloom beans and other unique food products, including some really cool cooking equipment. Steve Sando runs this shop | online store and has some amazing and delicious bean varieties. Check them out, as they do sell out of some of their different bean varieties. I do love their Midnight Black Beans!
To increase the flavors in this great BBQ Side Dish, I add in a smoked turkey leg and bacon, each bringing their smoked meat umami to this bean dish. These flavors infuse with onions, garlic, and Beef Brisket Spice Rub, all infusing together to make a better than just baked bean dish, that can stand up to any BBQ recipe.
Makes: 3 quarts of beans. Will feed a crowd or can be frozen into smaller portions.
Adapted from BeerAdvocate Magazine: Cuisine à la Bière | Jul 2009 | Issue #30
- 1 pound beans, black, dried, such as Ayocote Negro, Midnight Black Bean or Vaquero Bean
- 1 each turkey leg, smoked
- 1/4 cup oil, olive
- 1/2 pound bacon, smoked, thick cut, cut into lardons
- 1 each onion, yellow, large, peeled and chopped
- 6 eah garlic, cloves peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoon sugar, brown dark
- 2 tablespoon Beef Brisket Spice Rub recipe here
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 28 ounce tomatoes, fire roasted, diced, canned
- 12 ounce Oaked Arrogant Bastard, more infomation here
- salt, Mixteca to taste, available at Rancho Gordo
- pepper, black, cracked to taste
- Start this recipe a day in advance by soaking the washed beans overnight in a container that is large enough to hold the beans times three. Cover the beans with cold water. The next morning, drain the soaking water and place them into a medium-sized Dutch oven. Cover with fresh, cold water, add the smoked turkey leg, turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about 3 – 4 hours (depending on their age). The bean should still have a slight give to them, not all mushy.
- In another pot, over medium heat, add the oil and cut bacon. Cook, stirring somewhat frequently until the bacon just starts to turn crispy and has rendered its fat, about eight minutes. Add the onion and sauté for another five minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic and brown sugar, cooking for another five minutes to caramelize the onions. Add the Beef Brisket Spice Rub and tomato paste and cook the mixture another two minutes; toasting the spices and browning the tomato paste. Add the canned (or fresh tomatoes can be used that have first been roasted) tomatoes and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated about four minutes. Deglaze the pot with the Oaked Arrogant Bastard and bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit.
- Once the beans are fully cooked, drain them (reserving the bean liquor). Add the beans to the bacon/tomato/beer sauce and stir to combine. Take the turkey leg and shred the tender meat, removing the tendons and skin; add to the beans. Check the consistency, adding some of the bean liquor if needed. Bring to a simmer and cook the beans for 20 minutes to fully combine the flavors. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
Bastard Black Beans with Smoked Turkey Leg Recipe Variations:
For true Texas-style BBQ beans, take the tips of the Texas Style Smoked Beef Brisket, dice them and add them to the beans along with any of the pan drippings from the smoker.
More Bean Recipes:
More BBQ Side Dishes Made with Beer: