Barbecue beans

Barbecue beans are easy to make and go with everything.  Make a huge batch and freeze them, they are great for a last minute midweek dinner with poached eggs on toast (I recommend my sourdough, the best in the company).  The recipe is one of those which you can adapt to suit you; add spices for more heat, change the vinegar to balsamic or even, my wife’s favourite trick, add a big sticky spoon of marmite

Method

• Soak the beans overnight in enough water to cover them by an inch.
• Drain the beans and cover with fresh water and bring to the boil, then drain and add fresh water.
• Return to the heat and boil, but this time lowering the heat to a simmer for 40 minutes.
• Add the oil to a pan and heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook over a medium heat until the onions start to soften.
• Add the bacon and cook for further 5 minutes
• Add the water and chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar, vinegars and season with the salt and pepper and cook slowly for an hour. This is something that I do on the barbeque, but on the stove is ok.
• Add the beans and the tomato sauce together into a pan (adding the marmite) and cook for a further hour, again this can be done on the barbecue or the stove.