Road Beans

After days of driving and camping down the California coast in steady, soaking rain, the desert felt like an exhale. Southeastern California is usually all dust and sun, but that morning was cool and quiet, with light, intermittent sprinkles that felt calming after the storms behind us. It was the kind of weather that called for slow campfire cooking, so we set up The Road Grill and let these BBQ baked beans simmer low over the coals using soaked dried beans and thick bacon. The BBQ sauce gave the beans a smoky, saucy richness while big chunks of bacon rendered down and the fire did the rest, turning everything deep, glossy, and comforting. These campfire beans don’t rush, don’t mind uneven heat, and only get better with time, which is why the leftovers go straight into a jar to eat on the road later, what we always call road beans. Watch us cook these for the first time on our winter overlanding road trip.

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb dried navy or small white beans

Water for soaking and cooking

1–2 bay leaves

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)

1 tsp cumin (optional)

1 tsp ground or grated ginger (optional)

Flavor Base

8 oz bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

Sauce

1 cup BBQ sauce

2 tbsp molasses

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (reduced)

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp black pepper

¼–½ tsp chili powder or cayenne (optional, BBQ-dependent)

Salt to taste (add late—BBQ sauce can be salty)

Instructions

Soak

Rinse then add beans and water to pot so there is 1-2 inches of water above the top of the beans.

Optionally add 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (helps to break down compounds in beans that make them hard to digest)

Soak 8–12 hours.

Par-Cook Beans

Drain soaking liquid and rinse beans

Add beans to pot and enough water to completely cover them.

Add bay leaves and optionally cumin and ginger (helps to break down compounds in beans that make them hard to digest)

Simmer 30–45 min until just tender.

Drain, reserve bean liquid.

Build the Base

griddle over medium campfire heat.

Render bacon.

Add onion; cook until soft and lightly browned.

Add garlic; cook ~30 seconds.

Sauce & Beans

Put over medium heat

Stir in BBQ sauce, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and spices

Add beans + ~¾ cup reserved bean liquid

Add bacon, onion and garlic mixture

Bring to a gentle simmer

Campfire Bake

Move to indirect heat.

Cover and cook 1½–2½ hours, stirring every 30–40 minutes.

Add liquid as needed.

For the last 20–30 minutes:

Remove the lid

Let the top darken and caramelize

Stir once halfway to avoid scorching

Optional Add-Ins

Jalapeño or chipotle in adobo

Splash of bourbon or coffee

Maple syrup in place of brown sugar

Place left overs in jar. Eat road beans while off-roading or your next adventure.

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