Sugar Ray's Famous Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 2 (24 ounce) cans baked beans (I prefer Bush's country style.)

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can lima beans

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can butter beans
• 2 cups brown sugar (dark brown)
• 1/3 cup onion, dried and minced
• 1/2 lb bacon (i prefer peppered bacon from the meat dept.)
• 2 Louisiana hot link sausages
• 2/3 cup barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1-3 tablespoon seasoning, bbq style (to taste)
• 1-2 teaspoon molasses (optional)
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (the real stuff) (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   First, let me say I cook this to taste. The ingredients are approximate.

2. 2

   In a large oven save pot combine all of the beans.

3. 3

   Fold to the beans a couple of times to mix them up a little.

4. 4

   Add you brown sugar, dried minced onions and BBQ seasoning.

5. 5

   Set on the stove over medium-low to medium heat.

6. 6

   Cut your bacon up into small pieces. I usually leave it stacked and simply cut 5-6 pieces at a time.

7. 7

   Cut you hot links up in to your desired size. I usually cut the sausages in half and cut semi-round medallions out of them.

8. 8

   Place both the bacon and the hot links into a hot skillet and fry until both begin to brown. I usually let them go a little so that the sausages have just a touch of black on them.

9. 9

   Pour the entire contents of the skillet in with your beans. Yes the oil too. The bacon drippings and the sausage drippings provide a lot of flavor and heat (that's why the hot sauce is optional).

10. 10

    Fold in the meats with a large wooden spoon. Fold, don't stir, the beans are already a little soft we don't want to crush them.

11. 11

    Once the meat is folded in, add your BBQ sauce, molassas, maple syrup and hot sauce and fold again until the ingredients are well mixed.

12. 12

    At this point, I start tasting the beans. Once all the ingredients are in, you can get a sense of the flavor. If needed, I may add a little more BBQ sauce, brown sugar, bbq seasoning, maple syrup or onions. I don't want any one ingredient to be overpowering, but I want to taste them all faintly.

13. 13

    Be careful adding too much hot sauce here. If you need more, you can add it later in the cooking process. The heat from the hot links has not really taken effect. The beans will get spicier as they cook.

14. 14

    If you are in a hurry, leave the beans on the stove and bring to a mild boil over medium heat. Once they begin to boil, turn the heat down to low and let them simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 10-15 mins to make sure the beans are not sticking to the bottom of your pot.

15. 15

    If you have the time, place them in the oven overnight at around 200 degrees. Once they come to a boil, stir and turn the heat down to 170 degrees or so. Stir them in the morning and every 1-2 hours until you're ready to serve. I recommend the cooking them overnight.

16. 16

    Enjoy, these have been a big hit for me for years! They are requested at every potluck style BBQ I go to. Even people that say they don't like lima or butter beans enjoy them.