Baked beans are a staple in many households up and down the country and a go-to meal for many Brits, whether served with a full English breakfast or simply added to some toast and butter for dinner. Low-fuss and affordable, they’re ready in just a few minutes on the hob, and there are plenty of ways to make them more exciting.
From adding a splash of soy sauce, to cooking them in bacon grease, you might have heard of some of the more inventive ways to add some flavour to a can of baked beans, and one cookbook author has shared her secret ingredient that guarantees baked beans are “the star of the cookout”. Many of us often enjoy baked beans as a meal when we can’t be bothered to cook, but it they can also make for a delicious side dish. In an article for Simply Recipes, Ivy Manning said: “I have figured out an upgrade that makes my baked beans the star of the cookout.”
Most brands add sugar to baked beans, so adding more savoury ingredients can help bring out their saltiness, and Ivy revealed that she uses Spanish chorizo to do this.
Pork and beans is a popular pairing, with plenty of variations of the dish around, but Ivy found that Spanish chorizo worked particularly well.
A type of pork sausage that’s cured and seasoned with a mix of spices including paprika, it’s easily found in most UK supermarkets.
However, it’s important to find a chorizo ring instead of slices, as this will work better in the dish and provide more texture. Spanish chorizo is available at Sainsbury’s for £2.50 and £2.40 at Tesco.
After finding some leftover Spanish chorizo in her fridge, Ivy said she decided to add it to her baked beans by simply sautéing it for a few minutes, and the results were “astounding”.
To recreate the dish, Ivy recommends cutting the chorizo into halves, then quarters lengthwise and into “bite-size nubbins” so they combine into the beans and sauce, providing some added saltiness and texture.
As Spanish chorizo is usually quite fatty, you can simply add it to a dry pan over a medium heat for about five minutes before adding a tin of baked beans in and leaving these to simmer.
Chorizo should be kept in the fridge away from uncooked foods and sealed, and a ring of Spanish chorizo will keep for up to two weeks in the fridge.