what to serve with baked beans

[geminigirl]

Just felt like making a batch of Boston baked beans, they will be ready for dinner tomorrow night, so now struggling with what to serve with them... I'm looking for something other than hot dogs...I'm making a brown bread, but still feels like it needs something else to round it out. Thanks

[Caroline1]

hmmmm,,, I've been thinking about this. All of the things I've mentioned above are good, but... the truly best thing with baked beans is barbecued beef ribs. Well, not really truly barbecued. The kind of beef ribs that are boiled until the meat shrinks away from the bones, then laid out in a roasting pan and slathered with gobs of gooey delicious made from scratch barbecue sauce (preferably mine), then roasted in the oven until they start developing charred splotches over them. The kind of "barbecued" ribs that, no matter how daintily you eat them, manage to smear sauce all over your face! With really great baked beans and some wonderfully sweet-tart cole slaw with just a hint of cardamom, and some great hot bread to wipe the barbecue sauce off your chin. Maybe a really nice glass of beer to wash it down. THAT's what goes with baked beans! I'm hungry.

[mamachef]

Really good hot dogs, brown bread and butter, and coleslaw. Or sausages braised over cabbage, with cornbread.

[smaki]

We loved baked beans growing up. Solo or as part of a meal. Grand parents on mom's side did lots of boating (a Navy man). Lots of times eating out of a cooler without a kitchen. Cooking over an open fire. For a crowd. Where ever they were on the river, lake, or roadside that day.

Meat, typical here but optional. Not always needed or desired more and more. Traditionally make sausage, burgers, steaks, chicken, or dogs. At home BBQ often over lump fruit wood charcoal for extra flavor. Inside also works. As said above by Caroline1 / dfrostnh with others, cooked meats especially with smoke is good with baked beans. BBQ meat with garlic bread makes a great side for your baked beans, *HA*.

Cucumber relish like grandma used to make: Two large cucumbers pealed and seeds removed with a spoon. Chopped in about 1/4" dice. One whole bunch of green onion add after fine chop tops with whites (if do not have an onion or even bunch of chives can be substituted). Chop a then add bunch of pickles. Put in about 1 Tablespoon of mayo - not too much or gets watery. Stir it up and eat as a relish on burgers, dogs, or as a side. Keeps in the fridge several days. Do not add salt until on top when eat if any as will make watery if added before (Kosher flakes are not as strong). I like this cucumber relish with catchup and / or a bit of mustard on top.

How you prepare the bread can be fun. Toasted buns or garlic cheese toast is nice. Steamed in the oven in tin foil works. Broiled on tin foil is awesome sweet browned not bitter burned. Sometimes heat garlic in EVOO then toast bread in it in a fry pan (optionally adding Pecorino Romano after cooking to the top of each). Also can do over a fire or on a hot grill. How ever you make it garlic EVOO -cheese bread art will further enhance an already very tasty combination. Garlic, EVOO, bread, and cheese is hard to beat.

Cottage cheese. Like how it goes with beans warm or cold. Cottage Cheese is good on top of garlic cheese toast topped with granulated garlic (or any toast). I dip beans / cottage cheese with chips or vegetables like carrot chips cut on a bias thin. Usually both cottage cheese and beans on the same chip or in the same bite. Usually like to taste individual items one at a time in my mouth, but beans with cottage cheese is a good dip and side by side combination to me. Guess developed taste that came from mixing them so often eating together on a plate now like that way.

Home made salad. Depends on moods. Make potato, chicken, brown rice, vegetable, lettuce, romaine, slaw, and pasta salads. Like red potato salad (not mushy so do not over-cook if make). With lots of celery, gobs of pickle, a few capers, hard egg, a little mayo, and a touch of mustard.

Pickles. Home-made kosher, dill, garlic, a little spicy. Often sliced into long skinny quarters. Sometimes home-made cranberry sauce (buy berries fresh in the Fall then freeze to make sauce to eat through out most of the year great on turkey sandwiches). Pickles and cranberry garnish goes with nearly everything before dinner as palate cleansers at our house. We also like V8 seasoned cocktail juice zinged with with a bit of Worcestershire, A1 steak sauce, hot sauce, and fresh lime (fresh lemon in a pinch - if not fresh skip it).

Baked beans are good in a bowl on their own - Especially hot or a little scoop will spread into whatever is next to them on a plate. I have little cups and small bowls great to eat beans. Good with some combo of cottage cheese, side of relish, pickles, burger, and side of sausage, garlic bread, and optional side salad. Often my one plate gets hammered in this meal. Best on something other than paper plates I know soak through even if use several. Can eat in stages.

I most often eat baked beans with: BBQ meat, garlic bread, and a lettuce salad (or slaw). Somehow like to mix vegetables in. Baked beans make a meal. Can nibble as desire out of a cooler. When cook big on the weekend can eat left overs to lighten the load later when busy. Wishing you and yours the best this Memorial Day 2012 where ever and how ever you consume your baked beans.

[calmossimo]

buttered toast. the pork and ribs and other suggestions all sound good, as well. but i love some buttered toast (or cornbread) with baked beans!

[berkleybabe]

I'm with the coleslaw crowd -- that's all you need! Unless it's high summer and add in a sliced tomato as well.

[Harters]

Beans of any sort almost always suggest piggy to me.

[laliz]

green salad and good bread

[Sam Fujisaka]

Cornbread.

[somervilleoldtimer]

Growing up, my parents would put leftover baked beans on toast. It's actually quite good.

[hyde]

steam pearl country club hot dogs in apple cider on low heat until warm through, pour off cider and brown in butter, carefully!, so as not to split, put them on a tray and under broiler for a few minutes coated with your favorite bbq sauce (or ideally over charcoal fire) until the sugar in the sauce carmelizes. split, butter and broil hot dog rolls until brown, dog on bun, beans on dog, mustard and chopped red onions over the whole mess, let sit for a few minutes while you open and pour a dogfish head 90 minute i.p.a., sit at the kitchen table, no t.v., no distractions, and consume one of lifes great things.

[moh]

Goodness gracious, has no one mentioned maple syrup? The darker the better. Just pour it right on top, then stir it in. So yummy.

I've been eating this for the last few days, with a piece of buttered challah on the side.

[mwright]

Home-made sweet mustard pickles or green tomato chow -- and home-made bread and butter.

[torontovore]

The traditional British restaurant breakfast is eggs, bacon, fried potatoes, and baked beans.

[Querencia]

We always have baked beans with a salad of devilled eggs on lettuce with Thousand Island Dressing. Also some kind of brown bread.

[Caroline1]

Some of the things I love with baked beans are:
Hot dogs
German wurst
Pork chops
Barbecued beef ribs (the messier to eat the better)
Barbecued pork ribs
Charcoal broiled chicken
Bacon and eggs
Pulled pork sandwiches and cole slaw

In fact, I pretty much like baked beans with anything. Well, except on cheese cake or ice cream.

[dfrostnh]

Caroline has the right idea ... just about anything. Baked beans are a great side dish for anything smoked. Sat night I had barbecued short ribs and baked beans at a restaurant in Quechee VT. Beans are my favorite side at the barbecue place near home. At home I might do a simple ham steak or grilled chicken.
What kind of beans did you use? I like yellow eyes.

[goodhealthgourmet]

baked bean ice cream sounds like a dish that would make an appearance on Iron Chef America...or Top Chef ;)

[Caroline1]

Have you noticed they never make cheesecake on either one of those shows? Boston baked bean cheesecake. Maybe on Iron Chef, along with natto popsicles.

[goodhealthgourmet]

i'm almost positive someone has made cheesecake on ICA [i'm thinking it might have been a ricotta challenge?]...but it's never been attempted on TC.

ok, to stay on topic so the mods don't delete me, tell us what you ended up making, geminigirl!

[geminigirl]

wow, lots of great responses, not sure about the cheesecake or the sandwich though....we had it a couple of times mostly with odds and ends which adapt pretty well - brown bread, grilled sausage, and tonight a very odd combo of sushi rice, beans and choped jalapenos (cowboy candy) heated to gether with a chicken patty...and nope, not pregnant:) Recipie made a lot so I frooze some for quick winter meals. Thanks all for the suggestions!

PS - oh, and did have a salad with one night as well, that was a really good simple combonation!

[Silveryfox616]

Wow, just was asking, this is perfect, needed more than just one idea. Thank you so much!!

[lgss]

Beans are protein, so no other protein needed, just green veggies and/or salad.

[goodhealthgourmet]

agreed. i like chloes103's suggestion of the braised chard [you could also do kale]...or to lighten things up a bit, a salad of mixed greens [with arugula for a nice, peppery bite?] with a simple vinaigrette.

[chloe103]

Though I'm a dedicated carnivore the beans are heavy enough that I'd be inclined to go with something veg. Braised chard, I think. Something green, and equally cozy.

[othervoice]

Back in the day, Mom would always serve a great Saturday night supper with her homemade beans, fresh cole slaw and either ham steaks or salisbury steaks. Whichever one it was always hit the spot with the beans.

[chowmel]

A nice green salad, nothing complicated with a good vinegrette to cut the richness of the beans. And a glass of hard cider !

[lexpatti]

why not a great pulled pork? Pork and beans, yum!!!

[bear]

Yes, pulled pork or baby backs!

[lynnlato]

I second the pulled pork suggestion. OR sloppy joes... which we always called "hamburg bbq". Another idea might be marinated grilled London broil.

As Caroline said, I'll eat good baked beans with anything... I'll even eat them cold. My mother was dubbed the "bean queen" back in the day. I've eaten a lot of good beans.

[Gio]

Grilled bison steaks, bison cheeseburgers, a very simple meatloaf.... meaning no exotic ingredients. Maybe a perfect baked potato. Lottsa great ketchup.

[Gio]

I've been waiting 5 minutes for lexpatti's response to show up in this thread.... where the heck is it?

[lexpatti]

I just walked in the house after being gone most of the day. :-)

[Infomaniac]

how about a ham steak

[filth]

I love, love, love to serve beans with beans.

I'd serve a mild chili con carne (maybe Dennisons), some Ortega frijoles, maybe some green bean casserole to make it healthier.

YUM!!!

[iL Divo]

sounds deeeeelish, filth

very sad I didn't bring baked beans on our lake Isabella camping trip. dang I knew I forgot things to add to the BBQ dinner for tonight.
potato salad
baked beans
corn muffins
pea arugula and mint salad
bbq's chicken and pork ribs