Smoked Barbecue Beans

1 pound bacon, cut into ¼ inch slivers

1 can (15 ounces) black beans

1 can (15 ounces) dark red kidney beans

1 can (15 ounces) baked beans, or pork and beans

1 large sweet onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 jalapeño peppers, seeded (if desired) and diced

2 cups of sweet barbecue sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray’s)

1½ cups firmly packed light brown sugar

½ cup Dijon mustard

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Soak hickory wood chips in a large disposable roasting pan for 1 hour. Set up a grill for indirect cooking.

Fry chopped bacon in a skillet until crisp and golden brown; pour off the bacon fat, reserving 2 tablespoons.

Empty the cans of black and kidney beans into a colander, and rinse with cold water.

Place the bacon, drained beans and baked beans in a large mixing bowl. Add the onion, bell pepper, poblano pepper, garlic and jalapenos, and toss to combine. Add the BBQ sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and bacon and stir well. Salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to the foil pan and drizzle the reserved bacon fat on top. Place the aluminum pan on the cool side of the grill, not over the coals. then add a wood chunk on top of the coals, close the lid, and cook for 1 to 1½ hours. Add more wood chunks as needed, stirring them into the coals to release a good smokey flavor.

Remove beans from heat and let them rest 15 minutes before serving.

Serves 12 to 16.