This is an adaptation of a recipe that appeared in Bon Appetit magazine back in the late ’90s. I think it might have even been a Memorial Day issue. Or maybe it was the 4th of July. Anyway, I made it that year and have been making it every year since.

What makes it special and unique (and also one-of-a-kind, if I may be redundant) is that it uses chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for that extra somethin’ special. You’re not going to find these flavors from Bush’s. Or even Big John’s for that matter (does anyone remember Big John’s Baked Beans?).

Ingredients
prep time 5 minutes, cook time 2-3 hours, serves 8-12

1 lb navy or great northern beans, soaked and cooked. This is the equivalent of 6 cups or 2 28-oz cans of beans.
1/2 cup minced onion (I used 3 tablespoons dehydrated minced onion because I’m in the midst of unpacking from a 1 cup ketchup
4 tablespoons molasses
4 tablespoons light brown sugar
3/4 of a 12 oz. beer
2 chipotles in adobo, minced finely
6 pieces of bacon, cooked and choppe

Preheat your oven to 350F. Combine all the ingredients in a casserole dish, cover and bake at 350F for 2-3 hours, or until they are hot, bubbly and all the flavors are thoroughly combined. You might have to taste them throughout the baking process to see if they’re ready. It depends a lot on whether you use dried beans or canned. For example, my dried beans weren’t quite cooked all the way through when I combined them with the other ingredients, so they took quite a bit longer to bake. With canned beans, you don’t have to worry about that.

Enjoy!