Meaty "Beast Mode" Baked Beans for #10DaysofTailgate

Why "Beast Mode"? Well, if you had to ask, you obviously aren't a Seattle Seahawks fan.

1. Marshawn Terrell Lynch, is an American football running back for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League. He is nicknamed "Beast Mode" for his aggressive running style and penchant for breaking tackles. Wikipedia

Traditional Boston baked beans rely on long, low and slow cooking and the flavors of molasses, brown sugar and dry mustard. Beast Mode baked beans break tradition to feature meat, beef and pork - a lot of pork - aggressively seasoned with an assortment of zesty hot sauces. You will find beans in every forkful, but your taste buds will agree that it's all about the spicy flavors of that saucy, meaty mix.  

Note: Smoked pork hocks or neck bones add a subtle smoky back note, you know it's there... almost. Smoke is a good thing, but salt can be an issue. Smoked meat is typically too salty to play nicely with other ingredients, a result of the brining I think, and boiling it or soaking it overnight can help leach out some of the sodium. Add the smoked pork chunks to a pot of cold water, bring to a rolling boil, drain, rinse and repeat. Cool and pull the meat off the bone before using. Discard any large chunks of fat and shred or cut into small bite-sized pieces. Or skip the smoked pork bones and substitute more cooked, smoky bacon instead.

Do you think of baked beans as just another boring side dish? Time out! Blow the whistle on that action and send in a new play! Beast Mode Baked Beans score points as winning tailgate fare.

Meaty "Beast Mode" Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 lb pork sausage (Jimmy Dean lite)

½ cup smoked pork meat (boiled & drained to lower the sodium impact)

4-6 strips thick, lean bacon

¼ cup chopped green pepper

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup diced celery

1 Tb Gourmet Garden Chunky Garlic, or 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

2 TB vinegar

¼ tsp thyme

1 TB brown sugar

1 TB molasses

1 TB Sriracha*
1 tsp dry mustard (Colman's)
 1 tsp Chipotle Tabasco*

1 tsp Green Tabasco*

1 generous TB lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

2 12-oz cans B&M baked beans

*Notes: 

• Start out light with the hot & spicy seasonings, then crank up the heat to your taste after step 3. 
• Ready to experiment? Try a squirt or two of El Diablo Smokey Chipotle*mustard or an Intensity Academy hot sauce instead of your favorite Tabasco or Sriracha.

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp; drain and set aside to add to the meat mixture later.
2. At the same time, in another large skillet, brown the beef and pork sausage. When no longer pink, add the green pepper, onion, celery and garlic, sauteeing until tender. Drain off any remaining grease.
3. Add all other ingredients except the beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Taste again. Chop or crumble the cooked bacon and add to the meat mixture. 
4. Turn the beans into a greased 2-quart baking dish, or two smaller casseroles. Spoon the meat mixture evenly over the top.
5. Bake 45 minutes, uncovered, in a 350 degree F. oven. Serve, and enjoy the game.

Note: Gourmet Garden is a sponsor of #10DaysofTailgate, but I purchased my own product. I love this company and have used many of their high-quality products in my home kitchen and boat galley for years.

Remember to enter the #10DaysofTailgate Giveaway here. 

Here's what everyone brought to the table today...

Starters

Cheesy Maple Leaf Farm Duck Bacon Oven Chips by Making Miracles

Mango-Mustard Crock Pot Wings by Curious Cuisiniere

Cheesy Pulled Pork Egg Rollshttp://fromgatetoplate.com/2014/09/25/cheesy-bbq-pulled-pork-egg-rolls-10daysoftailgate/ by From Gate to Plate
Herbed Deviled Eggs by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Sips
Amaretto Spiced Apple Cider by The Spiffy Cookie

Dips

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by Debbi Does Dinner Healthy

Mains

Green and Gold Grilled Chicken (Green Curry and Pineapple) by Cheese Curd In Paradise

Turducken Meatballs by Miss Laura’s Kitchen

Meaty “Beast Mode” Baked Beans by OnTheMove-In the Galley
Chicken Apple Bratwurst Burgers by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Sides

Grilled Green Beans, Mushrooms, and Duck Bacon by The Pajama Chef