The Smuggler's Journal

Every crew needs a getaway side dish - one that survives the whole cook sitting on the smoker and still turns out better than anything from a can. This is it.

What you need

Tinned cannellini or butter beans as your base, diced bacon, onion, BBQ sauce and a rub for backbone.

Smuggler's Pick (and two ways to run it)

Every good smuggler runs a few routes. Pick the one that suits your crew:

• The Classic Run — Meat Church Honey Bacon Rub: bacon-boosted sweetness that plays straight into the dish.
• The Smoky Route — Misty Gully Bacon Salt: a simple, savoury bacon hit if you want less sweetness.
• The Bold Run — your favourite BBQ Sauce: stirred through for the classic sticky glaze finish.

Method

1. Render diced bacon in a cast iron pan or foil tray, add diced onion until soft.
2. Stir in drained beans, BBQ sauce, a spoon of brown sugar and a generous hit of rub.
3. Set the tray on the smoker (or under the brisket if you're multitasking) at 110-120°C for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Beans are done when the sauce has thickened and gone glossy, not soupy.

Serve it with

Anything that's been on the smoker all day - brisket, pulled pork or ribs.

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