Barbecued Beans with Kielbasa

Barbecued Beans and Kielbasa

What's Polish for "beanie weenie"? How about "Fasolka z grilla i kielbasa." No matter the language, barbecued beans with kielbasa makes an excellent one-pot weekend meal that fills you up and is spicy enough to warm you from the inside out.

The trick to this recipe is the use of a pressure cooker. Where the traditional baked bean recipes call for slow cooking over several hours, our beans require a mere 30 minutes to fully cook. We then cook the kielbasa in the barbecue sauce, using the simmer setting on the pressure cooker. There is very little handson preparation time required.

Barbecued Beans and Kielbasa
2 c. dried navy, pinto or red beans, prepared for cooking
1 lb kielbasa, cut into 1" lengths
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
4 quarts plus 2 c. water
1 onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. garlic paste, or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. ketchup
1/2. c. honey
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
3 tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. dry mustard powder

Prepare the beans the day before by covering the dried beans with 4 quarts of water to which 2 tbsp. of kosher salt are added. Allow to soak for at least 8 hours. Discard any "floaters". Drain the beans in a colander.

Combine beans and 1 tbsp. oil in a pressure cooker. Coat beans with the oil by stirring with a wooden spoon. Add 4 quarts water and 1 tsp. salt. Lock on pressure cooker lid, bring pressure to high and cook for 8 minutes. Remove from heat, allow pressure to reduce slowly for 15 minutes. Remove lid, drain cooked beans in colander and set aside.

Add 1 tbsp. oil to pressure cooker. Heat on medium heat, and add chopped onion, garlic paste and kielbasa pieces. Brown meat on all sides, and allow onion to sauté until slightly soft. Stir in water, ketchup, honey, dark brown sugar, vinegar and mustard powder. Gently stir in beans. Allow all to simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 10 to 15 minutes.

NOTE:  This can be used as a side dish or main meal. Any leftovers can be frozen and reheated using a microwave oven. The beans stay nice and firm.

Roast Duck with Spice Rub

Duck roasted with a spice rub stays moist inside and crisp outside

Roast Duck with Spice Rub

It may not be traditional, but I prefer roast duck to turkey during Thanksgiving. Duck is nearly all dark meat and thanks to the fat content of the animal, has a very rich and savory flavor.

The average duck weighs between 5 and 8 pounds, so duck is also a good choice for a small gathering. Like a turkey or chicken, a roasting duck comes with giblets; set these aside after thawing the bird, because we'll add them to our rice pilaf side dish.

In order to keep the meat moist but allow the fat to render away, I coat the duck inside and out with a spice rub. Because duck has a unique and to some, overpowering, flavor, it can handle one that is fairly spicy. The inclusion of baking powder creates a dry, crisp skin and doesn't add an overly salty flavor to the duck. It does create the same sodium barrier that keeps the flesh moist. In addition, I create an air pocket in underneath the skin. This allows all of the subcutaneous fat to release and helps the skin to crisp and brown.

To create the air pocket, gently lift the skin away from the meat using a wooden spoon. Use your hand to loosen the skin over the drumsticks (it is less icky if you put on a disposable food service glove), wings and neck area. Then, rub the fowl over the skin, under the skin and inside the cavity with the spice rub.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place prepared duck on a roasting rack and roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes per pound. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before carving in order to preserve the juices.

Spice rub
1 tbsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground paprika
1 tsp. ground mustard
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper