This baked bean recipe, adapted from Midwest Living magazine, uses all the traditional baked bean ingredients and seasonings, but achieves its uniqueness by using three different meats (bratwurst, ground beef, and bacon) and three different kinds of canned beans (red kidney beans, butter beans, and great northern beans). It also adds barbecue sauce and chili powder to add a little different tang to the overall taste.

If you have a hankering for something with a bit of the German influence (bratwurst) and a lot of meat, these might be the perfect baked beans for you.

• 1/2 pound sliced bacon
• 2 Tablespoons molasses
• 1 Tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup smoked, cooked bratwurst (about 5 ounces), thinly sliced
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans
• 1 15-ounce can butter beans
• 1 15-ounce can great northern beans
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup bottled barbecue sauce

In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove it from the skillet and drain it on paper towels. Crumble the bacon and set it aside. Drain off the bacon drippings remaining in the skillet and wipe the skillet out with a paper towel.

In the same skillet, cook the ground beef and onion over medium heat until the beef is brown and the onion is tender. Drain off any fat and set the mixture aside.

Drain the three cans of beans, reserving the liquid. In an extra-large bowl, combine catsup, brown sugar, barbecue sauce, molasses, mustard, chili powder, and pepper. Stir in bratwurst, bacon, beef mixture, and beans. Add reserved bean liquid to reach desired consistency.

Spoon the mixture into a 2-quart casserole. Bake, uncovered, in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 10 servings.

Of course, this is not my favorite baked bean recipe, although it is a good one. Click over to The Best Baked Beans in the World to read about and see the recipe for the absolutely finest baked beans known to man.

This article, in slightly different form, appeared originally on my Bean Lovers' site on Suite 101 (it's still there).

Copyright © 2002 Richard Mann. All rights reserved. Please contact the author for permission to use this article (includes reprints in mailing lists, newsletters, and/or any other purpose/format) and give details of its proposed use. Any and all use of this article in any way without permission is prohibited under copyright law. Acceptable use: Please feel free to link to this page. Of course, you can always print these recipes for your own personal use (that's what they're here for).

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