Instant Pot Barbecue "Baked" Beans

Oh, how I love barbecue. And how I love a smoky, spicy-sweet side of beans to go with it.

Just in time for the 4th of July, here's my new favorite recipe for barbecue "baked" beans--"baked" because they aren't really, since I made them in the Instant Pot.

There are lots of recipes for "barbecue beans" or "baked beans"--not really sure what the difference is I put both in the name of this dish.

I've made this dish twice, and while it was good both times, the adjustments I made for the second time were a definite improvement. I didn't have any molasses on hand the first time, so I used 1/4 cup of maple syrup (the real kind). This worked fine, but I missed that deep sweetness the molasses adds. I also used Stubbs's Sweet Honey & Spice flavor barbecue sauce the first time, which I didn't like nearly as much as the Stubb's Hickory Bourbon I used for the second batch (for the record, my favorite variety of Stubb's barbecue sauce is Sweet Heat--so amazing).

In looking at ingredient lists of other recipes to develop this dish, the one I leaned on the most was "The Best Barbecue Beans Recipe" by Joshua Bousel for Serious Eats. The accompanying photos were exactly what I wanted my beans to look like, and I liked the combination of sweet ingredients (honey, brown sugar and molasses). I made quite a few changes, but it's worth checking out.

That Serious Eats recipe goes the more traditional route of soaking the beans first and baking them in the oven, so expect an overnight soak and about 6-7 hours of cooking time. By comparison, my recipe takes a little over 2 hours--not exactly "instant" but with no soaking or oven time, it's great for whipping up "baked" beans the day before (or even day-of) you want to enjoy them without heating up your kitchen on a hot day or having to remember to soak those beans.

Instant Pot Barbecue "Baked" Beans

Ingredients for cooking the beans:
1 lb. dried pinto beans (may use other similarly sized dried beans), rinsed and examined to remove any small stones
10 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt

Ingredients for cooking the dish:
1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide strips
1 1/2 cup diced (about 1 large) yellow or sweet onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/4 cup barbecue sauce (I recommend Stubb's Hickory Bourbon)
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. mustard (any will do, I used a grainy Dijon)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup brown sugar (I used light, but would've used dark if I had it)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups low sodium chicken broth

Cook the beans:

1. Combine dried beans, water and salt in an Instant Pot. Lock the lid and set to cook under high pressure for 25 minutes. When cooking time is up, allow pressure to release naturally, which takes about 10-12 minutes. Total time for this step is 50-60 minutes.

2. When pressure is fully released, unlock the lid, drain the beans and set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

Cook the dish:

1. Using the Instant Pot sauté mode, cook the bacon until browned and crisp. Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon. Remove excess bacon fat, leaving about 2 tbsp. in the pot (I used a couple paper towels to soak it up).

2. Add the onion and garlic to the pot. Sauté until softened and lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot.

3. Into the pot with the cooked vegetables, add the cooked bacon, cooked beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, molasses and chicken broth (in other words, all of the remaining ingredients). Stir to combine. Lock the lid and set to cook under high pressure for 15 minutes. When cooking time is up, allow pressure to release naturally, about 10-15 minutes (vent any remaining pressure after 15 minutes). Total time for this step is 40-45 minutes.

4. Unlock the lid and stir the mixture. If a thicker texture is desired, use Sauté mode (normal setting) to evaporate some of the moisture and thicken the beans--about 10 minutes is just right for me. Allow to cool and either eat or transfer to a container with a lid to store in the fridge.

Restaurant: Fat Pete's Barbecue (Washington, D.C.)

I think about food a lot; that's no surprise. But when I think about barbecue, something special happens.

My mouth waters.

Yes, it literally does. There's something so perfectly appetizing about smoky, tender, perfectly seasoned meat served with a spicy-sweet sauce and a variety of sides that define good comfort cooking. Clearly, I really love barbecue.

Unfortunately, until recently, I wasn't getting enough of it. I enjoyed wonderful barbecue during my recent Southwest travels from places like Iron Works BBQ in Austin, Texas; Lockhart Smokehouse in Plano, Texas; and Big John's Texas Barbecue in Page, Arizona. While D.C. has long had some good barbecue places, they aren't particularly convenient for me. That's changed in the last few years though, as we've seen real growth in this segment (recently chronicled by the Washington Post's Tim Carman, who ranked the area's best BBQ establishments).

As luck would have it, one of the best places to open within the last year is a short walk from home, yet I'd be willing to make the trek even if Fat Pete's wasn't so convenient, for it embodies pretty much everything I want in a good barbecue restaurant.

Like quite a few other area BBQ joints, Fat Pete's doesn't adhere to a particular regional barbecue style, so you can get Texas-style smoky sliced brisket alongside North-Carolina-style chopped pork and mix-and-match the sides to your heart's content. This an approach I rather like: I'm partial to brisket, but I tend to like the Southern-style sides best.

Top - sliced brisket with vinegar-dressing slaw and barbecue beans; Bottom - pulled chicken sandwich with creamy slaw.

Although at Fat Pete's I've yet to go wrong with anything I've ordered. The brisket is phenomenal. Each time we've had it, the meat arrives smoky and tender, and the sliced brisket is particularly juicy (you can get it sliced or chopped). In my experience this is a rarity, as brisket can sometimes dry out. It takes skill to cook meat for a long time and have it retain sufficient moisture. The smoky chopped pork is also very good; it arrived lightly sauced and topped with a few strands of coleslaw. Meat entrees are served as "platters" with two sides. Not up to a platter? You can get most of the meat offering generously portioned into a potato-roll sandwich served with one side. I got the succulent pulled chicken this way, a sandwich so large I ended up having to eat it with knife and fork.

Some barbecue snobs turn their noses up at barbecue sauce, claiming that good barbecue doesn't need sauce. I'm not a big fan of that line of thinking. I don't think there's anything "wrong" with serving excellent food with condiments. The more flavor the better, in my opinion. It appears that Fat Pete's shares that view, as they offer a wide variety of homemade barbecue sauces. At the table, you'll find their Memphis-style sweet and Kansas-City-style spicy sauces. Both are tomato based. I like to mix them together for a spicy-sweet kick. If you want to try the others, just ask and they'll bring you beefy Texas mop sauce, South Carolina Mustard sauce, North Carolina vinegar or Alabama white (mayonnaise-based).

Top - burnt ends; Bottom - hush puppies with honey butter.

As if my appetite needed any more whetting, there are a selection of great starters here, the best of which is the burnt ends--fatty end pieces of brisket that have more of the blackened edge (known as "bark"). They are rich, smoky and addictive. Fat Pete's also serves their burnt ends in a decadent grilled cheese sandwich with Vidalia sweet onions and Swiss and American cheeses. Hush puppies are listed as a side, but I like having them as a starter, especially if they're as good as the version Fat Pete's makes, stuffing the fried corn fritters with tangy goat cheese and poblano peppers for just a bit of kick.

Among the sides, the barbecue beans are our favorite, and they do a nice job balancing what I like in a good bean side. Sometimes Texas-style beans are disappointing, as they aren't sweet like the Southern style. Yet too heavy a hand with the molasses or brown sugar in Southern baked beans can be a problem. Fat Pete's manages a nice compromise, serving a blend of pinto, kidney and canneloni beans flavored with beef and pork and just a touch of sweetness. I also really like the braised collard greens, which have a good spicy-sour profile from jerk seasoning and cider vinegar. Coleslaw fans can enjoy their shredded cabbage with a Carolina-style vinegar dressing or a creamy dressing; both are good, but I prefer the former. Fat Pete's also does a decent mac & cheese (although, as Chris points out, I make such good mac & cheese at home it's hard to justify getting it out).

As for drinks, barbecue usually puts me in the mood for whiskey or beer and Fat Pete's full bar has a great selection of beer, wine and cocktails. They make a decent Manhattan (which we ordered made with rye, of course) and it was at Fat Pete's that I first had Rebel IPA, a new American-style IPA from Sam Adams that we are enjoying these days.

Apple pie

If, after enjoying all these delectable dishes, you still have room for dessert, how about a homey slice of apple pie? I'm kind of picky about apple pie (again, it's something I like to make), and theirs, topped with an oaty crumble, was pretty satisfying.

Service at Fat Pete's is also very good and always friendly, even if it gets a little slow when they are very busy (like they were on Memorial Day). A real plus at Fat Pete's is that they offer full service. A lot of barbecue places make you stand in line to get your food, or worse, separately for both your food and drinks. At Fat Pete's you sit down and order like a normal restaurant. I really like that.

Fat Pete's opened last summer in Cleveland Park, an area long-known for great food that has struggled in the last couple years as it suffered a number of notable restaurant closures. The space Fat Pete's occupies has been particularly challenging: after the space's McDonald's closed in the mid '00s (something you didn't see much back then), it sat vacant for a long time before becoming a seafood restaurant (Tackle Box) and then a Spanish tapas joint (Pulpo)--neither of which lasted very long. Here's to hoping that Fat Pete's satisfying barbecue fare has true staying power.

Fat Pete's Barbecue, 3407 Connecticut Avenue NW (1/2 block south of Cleveland Park Metro Station), Washington, D.C. (Cleveland Park). (202) 362-7777. 

Restaurant: Lockhart Smokehouse (Plano, Texas)

Barbecue isn't something I have often, but occasionally I crave it like a fiend. Just reading a barbecue menu will make me salivate. I'm not exaggerating.

Since I can't make true barbecue at home (I've made some tasty slow-cooked, pressure-cooked and oven-roasted approximations), when I get it, it's a real treat.

I find Texas barbecue to be particularly satisfying. As good as DC's Hill Country is, I find you gotta go to the source to get the real thing. Which is why upon landing in Texas recently, I headed straight for the Lockhart Smokehouse and enjoyed the best barbecue of my life.

Wanting a little bit of everything, we ordered brisket, ribs and sausage. The brisket was amazing: intensely smoky, perfectly seasoned and fairly lean. A squirt of the house barbecue sauce goes great with it. The tender dry-rubbed spareribs were my favorite. We also loved the grilled sausage, based on a recipe from Kreuz Market in Lockhart, Texas.

The sides offer something special too. The baked beans were perfectly balanced: a little smoky, a little spicy and not too sweet. I also loved the house coleslaw, which came with a spicy kick. The potato salad was our least favorite, but it wasn't bad; first potato salad I've had with meat in it.

We ate a lot of other great meals during our long weekend in Dallas, but this one was the best. We're still talking about it actually. Clearly, we're not the only ones who love it. When we showed up on a Saturday 15 minutes before their 11 a.m. opening, there was already a line down the block.

Our bellies full from Lockhart Smokehouse, we headed over to the Southfork Ranch, famous as the home of Ewing family from TV's Dallas. You can read about our visit there on Dallas Decoder.

Lockhart Smokehouse, 1026 East 15th Street, Plano, Texas (downtown). (972) 516-8900.

Eating Around Southwest National Parks

Bryce Canyon National Park is a beautiful place, but you can't eat it. To find out what you can eat near this and other nearby national parks, read on.

During our recent trip to national parks in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah it was hard to take a bad picture. The Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon and Canyon de Chelly are so incredibly scenic that any amateur can take postcard-worthy shots.

Also hard to do in this region? Find a good meal. Given that the draw is nature and not cuisine, it seems the latter is often an afterthought. The little towns that have sprung up as motel villages near each of these parks offered up a lot of over-priced, bland food delivered with indifferent service. Nonetheless, we were pleasantly surprised by some good and even a few great meals on the trip. Here's a rundown of the good, the bland and the ugly.

Plaza Bonita steak fajitas

Near Grand Canyon

The most popular national park we toured drew an amazing international mix of visitors, young and old alike. With such a diversity of potential customers, it's perhaps surprising that the Grand Canyon vicinity offers about the least interesting choices of restaurants. The motel town just south of the park, Tusayin, is dominated by fast food and steakhouses with decidedly nonplussed Yelp reviews. So, we steered clear of those places in the evening and instead headed to the town's Mexican restaurant, Plaza Bonita. It's immediately familiar--the kind of colorful, family-oriented Mexican restaurant with tacos, burritos, enchiladas and fajitas. Coming from D.C., where this type of restaurant is too frequently just mediocre, Plaza Bonita's food was surprisingly good. The fajita steak was marinated and flavorful, served with the kind of refried beans and Mexican rice that I love but don't often see at home. We also really liked the restaurant's basic Original Margarita, which leaves no doubt as to whether it contains tequila. Perhaps because we each knocked back two of these, our bill was a bit higher than we were expecting--something we had to get used to around the parks--so if you're expecting typical suburban Mexican restaurant prices, adjust those expectations upward a bit.

Brisket and sides at Big John's Texas Barbecue

It's a long drive between the Grand Canyon and the parks in southern Utah. There aren't a lot of towns, let alone good food options. But we did find a really great place to stop for lunch in Page, Arizona. Big John's Texas Barbecue is rather nondescript-looking from the inside and the outside, although the large black smoker out front--which they use to smoke their meats with mesquite and oak wood chips--should be a clue that you're for something special. The brisket is fantastic--tender and smoky. We made a great meal with that and a couple sides. We so enjoyed Big John's on our way from Grand Canyon to the Utah parks, that we stopped in again on our way to New Mexico and tried the pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, which are served simply on a soft bun, and were just as tasty as the brisket. Big John's doesn't sauce their meat ahead of time, letting you apply as little or as much as you want of their spicy tomato sauce at the table. For sides, they offer the basics: a wonderful coleslaw dressed with just enough dressing and flecks of celery seed, a creamy old-school potato salad and cowboy beans. The food comes out pretty fast, but they also provide roasted peanuts at the table while you wait.

Zion National Park

Near Zion and Bryce Canyon

Unlike Tusayan, Springdale, Utah, the town near Zion National Park, actually feels like a real town, with charming shops and restaurants lining the highway that snakes south from the park's entrance. Unfortunately, that didn't mean it was necessarily easier to find a good meal. I had high hopes for Cafe Oscar given its good Yelp rating and the half-hour line of people waiting to get in. The food was pretty good; I enjoyed my Salmon Filet Salad with a nicely cooked piece of fish and appreciated the addition of pistachios for crunch. However, we were disappointed the appetizer we ordered never arrived, and our server never returned to our table until it was time for the check--at which point it was too late to do anything about the forgotten appetizer. Perhaps we just hit Oscar's on an off night. I could imagine that sitting on their outdoor patio as the setting sun turns the Zion rocks a vivid orange-red could be a great way to unwind after a day of hiking. But we were motivated to find a different place to eat dinner our second night in Springdale.

The Flying Monkey's sausage pizza

We had a much better time at The Flying Monkey, the local pizzeria serving delicious wood-fired pizzas. We chose the sausage pizza, which sounds plain but actually includes fire-roasted red peppers, fennel and a mix of mozzarella and romano cheeses, a great combination sitting on a nicely charred and chewy crust. We also had the chance to sample some locally made beer, the Full Suspension Pale Ale brewed in Salt Lake City by Squatters Brewery. Our service here was attentive and we enjoyed the relaxed, contemporary vibe of the large, open space.

Rustler's Ribs at Ruby's Inn

Unfortunately, Bryce Canyon City is more like Tusayan, if not worse. The entire town is basically owned by one family, creating a virtual monopoly on not only where you'll sleep, but where you'll eat too. Not wanting to spring for the cowboy-themed dinner theater, we opted for Ruby's Cowboy Buffet and Steak Room, which offers a buffet for $22 plus steak and other simple entrees served with two vegetable sides in that general price range (steaks are more, some of the other dishes like pork chops are a little less). If ever I felt like a trapped tourist, it was at Ruby's. This is pretty plain fare for this much money. Our ribs were decent and falling-off-the-bone tender, but the over-whipped mashed potatoes and limp, unseasoned vegetables were both uninteresting. The place was very busy and friendly but clearly overworked server didn't have much time for us. Bryce Canyon presented one of the starkest contrasts between our enjoyment of the view (see the first photo above) and the food.

Garcia's Navajo taco

Near Canyon de Chelly

Our last park was Canyon de Chelly National Monument, a beautiful Y-shaped canyon in northeast Arizona carved from sandstone. One of the canyon's unique features is the ruins of the Anasazi Indians who lived in the area 700 years ago. Today, the area is home to the Navajo people; the best way to experience Canyon de Chelly is with a Navajo guide, who can tell you about the park's history and geology while also sharing personal stories about the area. Canyon de Chelly isn't as popular as the other parks we visited, but it's no less interesting. It's nice, actually, that there aren't as many people in this beautiful, peaceful place.

The nearest town, Chinle, is probably where you would stay to visit Canyon de Chelly, and its food options are limited in the extreme. We ate at Garcia's because it was connected to our hotel and, based on available reviews, appeared comparable to the town's other full-service restaurant, Junction Restaurant. Dinner at Garcia's was fine. I had the Navajo Taco, a generous piece of Navajo fry bread topped with chili, lettuce, olives, onions and cheese. It sounds like heartburn-on-a-plate, but it was actually pretty satisfying. Even better was Garcia's breakfast: standard, but well-prepared fare like eggs and pancakes and really decent hash browns. The service, however, needs attention, as during both meals the restaurant seated us but then waited far too long to send someone over to take our order. Inside the park, we ate lunch at the Sacred Canyon Lodge, a cafeteria-style place that's convenient for a quick bite. Hoping for some authentic Southwestern fare, I had the posole, a pork and hominy stew that I expected would be spicy but was actually surprisingly bland (I would get good posole in Santa Fe, which I'll discuss tomorrow).

Sonoran Salad at Bryce Canyon Lodge

Inside the Parks

While getting good food near the parks can be hit-and-miss, inside the parks, lunch in one of the park's old lodges proved to always be a great choice. All of them offer something similar: a comfortable setting in an old lodge and a satisfying menu with a selection of sandwiches and salads just right for a restful lunch after a few hours of hiking. In the Grand Canyon, we stopped for lunch at the El Tovar. Built in 1903, the majestic lodge has a view of the canyon from the Historic District along the south rim. El Tovar's club sandwich, made with brie, horseradish garlic mayo and duck bacon was unique and satisfying. The Red Rock Grill doesn't have the historical feel of some of the other park lodges, but it's still a beautiful setting with a similarly solid lunch menu. Our favorite was the lunch at Bryce Canyon Lodge, where I had the Sonoran Salad with grilled chicken, corn, bacon and feta cheese, and Chris had the club sandwich with smokey turkey, ham, bacon, swiss cheese and a wonderful sage aioli. The service at Bryce Canyon Lodge was also the best of the three park lodge restaurants, although all of them were friendly and welcoming.

Grand Canyon National Park

Despite some uneven meals, I cannot complain overall. And while it's definitely true that you go to this part of the country for the scenery and not the food, there are still some great eats to be had if you know where to look.

Best bets: Big John's Texas Barbecue (Page, AZ), The Flying Monkey (Springdale, UT), Plaza Bonita (Tusayan, AZ), park lodge dining rooms (various).