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Pit Beans — Smoked, hot off the pit
Sides & FixingsEditor’s pick

Pit Beans

Pinto beans, onion, and molasses in a pan set directly under the shoulder, catching every drop the pork lets go for the last three hours of the cook.

Sby SoCueCo

Recipe to cook

Pit-Smoked Pit Beans with Pork Drippings

Uncovered, under the meat, for the last three hours of a shoulder or brisket cook.

3 hrsCook Time
250°FPit Temp
Whatever the meat is smoking overWood
—Target Internal
EasyDifficulty

Gather

Ingredients

Everything you need, whichever way you cook it.

  • 4 cans (15 oz) pinto or navy beans, drained, or 1 lb dry beans cooked
  • 1/2 lb bacon or leftover pork belly, diced
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 green pepper, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tbsp barbecue rub
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup stock or water
  • Chopped leftover pork, a cup or two (optional)

Before the pit

Prep

Start with cooked beans, canned or from dry, and build the base on the burner. The pit finishes them.

  1. Render the bacon in a deep foil pan or dutch oven on the burner, then soften the onion, pepper, and garlic in the fat (sauté).

  2. Stir in everything else, beans last, and bring to a simmer. Looser than you want; it thickens on the pit.

Under the shoulder

The Cook

Put the pan where the drippings land and leave it alone except to stir.

  1. Pan on the grate directly below the meat, uncovered, three hours before the meat comes off.

  2. Stir every hour and add a splash of liquid if they tighten.

  3. Pull with the meat and carry to the Finish.

Bring it home

Finish & Serve

Stir, taste, and serve from the pan with the bark bits on top.

  1. Stir the drippings through and taste for salt and vinegar.

  2. Serve from the pan. Better the next day.

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