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California Barbecue Beans (Santa Maria Style Beans)

Being native Californians, we love Santa Maria Style Tritip. A classic side dish are Santa Maria-style beans. The beans are made with a special variety of pink beans called pinquitos. These 'little pink' beans are prepared in a spicy, smoky, bacon and pork. These are smoky, tart and spicy-- and so good!
Course Side, Side Dish
Cuisine Barbecue Beans, Santa Maria Beans
Keyword BBQ Beans, Santa Maria Style Pinquito Beans
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Bean soaking time 8 hours
Total Time 9 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 473kcal
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

  • 8 slices thick cut bacon chopped
  • ½ pound deli ham chopped fine NOTE: I omitted this the second time I used it, and liked the beans better
  • 1 onion chopped fine
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 pound pink kidney beans soaked overnight and drained
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup canned tomato puree
  • 1 cup bottled taco sauce or make homemade taco sauce (below)
  • 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoon dry mustard
  • Salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves optional
  • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar (optional, I did not use)

Homemade Taco Sauce (optional)

  • 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant minced onion
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium heat until fat renders and pork is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add beans and water and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until beans are just soft, about 1 hour.
  • Stir in tomato puree, taco sauce, sugar, mustard, and 2 teaspoons salt. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until beans are completely tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 hour. (If mixture becomes too thick, add water.)
  • Season with kosher salt, if needed.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.
  • Serve.
  • (Beans can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

IF MAKING HOMEMADE TACO SAUCE:

  • Place ingredients into a sauce pan and stir well, simmer at a very low temperature for 15- 20 minutes.
  • Remove and cool.
  • May be kept in refrigerator for several days.

Notes

If you can find them, pinquito beans (a variety grown in the Santa Maria Valley) are traditional in this dish. Bottled taco sauce is available in the Mexican aisle of most grocery stores. Don't add the tomato puree, taco sauce, brown sugar, and salt before the beans have simmered for an hour; they will hinder the proper softening of the beans.
TASTING NOTES: I made this recipe twice, and I didn't feel that the ham added much flavor to the beans, so I omitted the ham in the second go-round.  I also didn't care for the cider vinegar at the end.  I liked this recipe much better this way!
Recipe source: Slightly adapted from Cook's Country Magazine June/July 2007

Nutrition

Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 816mg | Potassium: 1220mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 4mg