Bringalong Beans

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 lb bacon
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup catsup or 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup
• 2 (28 ounce) cans baked beans (i use bush's)

Recipe

• 1 brown ground beef in large, 5 quart dutch oven or cook pot. drain fat, and set beef aside.
• 2 cut the full pound of bacon into small pieces and cook until crisp in the same pot. drain all but a tablespoon or two of bacon drippings.
• 3 cook onions and garlic in the bacon drippings over medium heat until translucent.
• 4 add the ground beef and bacon back in, along with the catsup or tomato paste, brown sugar, and maple syrup. stir together very well, blending all ingredients.
• 5 gently fold in baked beans, and bring just to the boil.
• 6 reduce heat and simmer about 45 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
• 7 serve with a green salad and crusty sourdough bread to round out a hearty meal, or makes a great bring-along to potlucks and picnics.
• 8 note: this is also good with different types of beans: just add the same bean amount in a different variety, but don't drain the beans. butterbeans with red kidney and great northerns are also very good!
• 9 serving sizes depend on how you're using this. as a main dish, it does go a long way, which is how i listed it below. goes even further as a passed dish!