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Dixieland Delight's Pinto Beans

The members of Thorndale’s Dixieland Delight barbecue team say there’s one secret to making good beans: “Put ‘em on and let ‘em go.” These fellows don’t worry too much about their beans, and they sure don’t worry about the recipe. They say that the beans turn out a little different every time, depending on what spices they have at hand. After lots of discussion, however they’ve come up with a recipe for their super spicy beans. Do like the Dixieland Delight guys do—throw in a shake of this and a sprinkle of that, sit it all on the firebox, and just let ‘em go.

1 pound dry pinto beans
2 cans Rotel diced tomatoes and chiles
3 shakes of salt
Sprinkle of ground cumin
1-2 teaspoon hot chili powder
Pinch of paprika
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Sprinkle of dried basil
2 shakes of black pepper
3 jalapeno peppers, sliced
1/2 pound bacon
1 1015 onion, diced

Rinse beans and soak covered in water overnight. Drain beans, rinse well, and transfer to a large pot. Add remaining ingredients and cover with fresh water. Cover pot and cook on a firebox for about 6 hours or on the stove for about 5 to 6 hours. (If cooking on the stove, check more frequently and stir to keep beans from sticking and burning.)

Serves 12

This recipe first appeared in our Texas Barbecue book.

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