Gosh, but it was hard to try to make a bowl of barbecue black beans look attractive in a photo. But you know what? They deserve to look good. Because they are good. And good for ya.

Have you been thinking about those beans? I know I have. I wanted a slightly sweet, spicy and smokey, barbecue-style black bean that reminded me a little of refried black beans – but still had that whole-bean integrity that baked beans always have.

What does barbecue style mean? I put barbecue spices and barbecue sauce in it. Basically I wanted a less sweet classic baked bean (canned baked beans are SO SWEET ugh), but make it spicier and use heart-healthy black beans. Let me tell you, after four hours of simmering a few cans of beans on the stove with some of my favorite spices – I got what I wanted.

Are canned black beans (and lentils) low FODMAP tho?

I’m glad you asked. According to Monash University, 45 grams of drained, cooked black beans are completely fine for low FODMAP diets. That’s 3/8 of a cup, or a little over a 1/3 cup serving. Lentils are about the same; clocking in on the Monash app as safe up to 46 grams. I’ve drained these and added low FODMAP broth and spices, so I’d suggest you not go over 1/2 cup total for a low FODMAP serving of those beans.

I didn’t take a lot of pictures of the bean-making process here – because literally all you do in this recipe is dump everything in a pot and simmer for a few hours (2 hours minimum). However, I would be remiss if I did not roll that beautiful bean footage; above you can see what the pot looks like when the beans are close to being done. When your beans look like this, they need to simmer and thicken up a little more – but you’re getting close! Now you’re to the point where they’ll taste like they’re going to taste, and all they need now is to thicken up a bit, until they look like the picture below.

Now is the time to add more seasonings if you desire (listed below in the recipe card), and once the taste is right for you, simmer until the consistency you most crave.

They’ll even thicken up a little more as they stand when you take them off the heat. Cool.
Those Beans (Low FODMAP BBQ baked Black Beans)

Those Beans (Low FODMAP BBQ baked Black Beans)

Baked beans are too sweet for me. Plus I like black beans better. I wanted a smokey, spicy, slightly sweet and wholesome flavor to my ‘baked’ beans. So, I developed this.

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Recipe by Brookey
5 from 8 votes
Course: Lunch, Dinner, SidesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

14+

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

3

hours 

Ingredients

  • 4 15-ounce cans black beans, OR 3 cans black beans and 1 can lentils, drained

  • 3 tablespoons bacon fat or seasoned, cooked-off fat from anything else (I once used duck fat from a roast asian-spiced duck I made)

  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar

  • 1/3 cup your favorite barbecue sauce (use a more tomato-based than mustard-based sauce for this recipe though)

  • 1/4 cup ketchup

  • 3-4 fresh or frozen chopped jalapenos OR chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

  • 3 cups low FODMAP chicken broth

  • 1-2 tablespoons hot sauce (I’ve used Louisiana, Truff, and others; each with great success)

  • 2-3 tablespoons barbecue spice mix / dry barbecue rub (make your own or make sure it doesn’t have onion or garlic powder in it)

  • salt to taste, at the end

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients in a large, heavy-bottom sauce pot – or whatever you like to use to simmer things on the stove in for hours. Make sure to season lightly initially, as seasonings will become much stronger after simmering for a long time. Salt and jalapenos specifically you should be careful with here; the chicken bouillion I use contains lots of salt. Jalapenos or chipotles can make things spicier over time. You can always add salt and spice later before serving, and simmer just a little more.
  • Bring to a light boil over medium heat, then turn down to low heat.
  • Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally (to prevent from clumping up on the bottom of the pot) for 3-4 hours. Because we drained the beans of their liquid to keep this as low FODMAP as possible, you should reasonably be done closer to 3 hours. Taste occasionally after 1-2 hours and adjust the seasonings to your liking as you get closer to the consistency you want.
  • The beans are done when the texture is as pictured above and reminds you of your favorite baked beans; thick but pourable, not watery but not an immovable paste, either.
  • Serve immediately in a bowl as a wholesome lunch with a toasted slice of sourdough bread, as a delicious side dish to a barbecue-themed meal or sandwich, or keep for up to 1 week in an air tight container in the refrigerator. You may also freeze bags of baked black beans for later use for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • Did you overseason it like I told you not to? You did, didn’t you. Add another can of beans – and know that I’ve been there. This is why I ended up with four cans of beans in this recipe my first try, and one of those cans was lentils.