Pit Beans - The Perfect BBQ Side

These beans are sweet, smoky and meaty. They are hearty and the perfect side and compliment for any backyard BBQ. This recipe is one my buddy Michael Letchworth, partner at Sam Jones BBQ, cooks at our annual Memorial Day Whole Hog party. He has been cooking this with Sam's family since his days at the legendary Skylight Inn.
Recipe: www.meatchurch...
Meat Church BBQ Supplies: www.meatchurch.com
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Thermapen IR thermometer & Silicone spatula: bit.ly/MCThermapen
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About Meat Church BBQ:
Welcome to the official Meat Church BBQ KZbin channel! Meat Church is a global lifestyle BBQ brand and has one of the largest social media reaches in the world of outdoor cooking. The unique brand offers some of the most popular craft BBQ seasonings, apparel, recipe development & live fire cooking instruction around the world. Matt Pittman is the pitmaster and the founder of Meat Church BBQ. He is an expert and respected authority on outdoor cooking. Students travel from around the world to attend BBQ schools in his private outdoor kitchen. Make sure to subscribe and enable ALL notifications!
#MeatChurchBBQ​ #BakedBeans #PitBeans

[@zakschrader9716]

Matt you’ve inspired me. I’m 22, never barbecued anything and my family only knows how to burn steak over charcoal; but I’m about to pull the trigger on a pellet smoker and can’t wait to go on a journey through your recipes.

[@stryker0ae]

You won't be disappointed brother. Start with his last pulled pork recipe. It was the best butt I've ever made. BBQ is a fun way to learn to cook a huge amount of amazing tasting food, for not much money.

[@stryker0ae]

The one thing you'll want tho is a BBQ thermometer. He uses a MEATER here, but there are much less expensive options. Or depending on the smoker it might have built in probes. But you'll want something you can check the temperature of the cook without continuously opening the lid.

[@twindadpiper8590]

You’ll love it. I got started a few years ago because of this channel. Matt makes things easy for beginners to understand and it makes us look good at cookouts. Make sure to read your instructions and clean your grill regularly to not have fires or blow ups

[@crunch9362]

If you're going to use a pellet smoker I'd say you still haven't BBQ'd anything in your life.

[@stryker0ae]

@@crunch9362 bet you 50 bucks you couldn't tell the difference in a taste test. Even big names like Kosmos Q use a pellet smoker and recommend them for beginners. Just like cosmo says, "burning wood is burning wood. People say you have to run a stick burner for real BBQ, but pellets are just little tiny sticks. Same wood, same flavor."

[@jeremysmith876]

Matt is sweating his ass off to make a vid! Love the commitment and it proves he’s the real deal!

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

@@jeremysmith876 that night was brutal! 😂💦💦

[@jasonjarman4004]

From someone that lives half an hour from Sam’s restaurants, and visit them regularly, this is my favorite side from them. I love that you’re showcasing ENC style.

[@Nonamesplease]

What are his restaurants? I live in Fort worth.

[@jasonjarman4004]

@@Nonamesplease Skylight Inn in Ayden NC and Sam Jones BBQ in Greenville and Raleigh NC.

[@johncole9798]

Something about hearing the train horn in the background when you pulled the beans off the pit .....gave it such a small town vibe. I love it! Weather, it's a pickup truck passing by with loud pipes, a train passing in the distance, or a gust of Texas wind. That's what keeps your videos so relatable to your audience...the realness. I'm always excited to see your videos, keep em coming.

[@FFL-vg9ro]

My Mom in Minnesota has been making this since the 1960’s. She called it Beanburger. Simmered all afternoon. Wonderful on a cold MN winter night.

[@garrettm615]

I have a similar recipe from my grandmother who made it during the Great Depression. I love the twist on it.

[@ryanseymour8908]

Beans. Beans. The magical fruit. The more you eat the more you toot. The more you toot the better you feel. So eat your beans at every meal. Love all the bbq. The sides are awesome! Making brisket tacos for our work picnic on Monday. Thank you Matt! Me and my 7 year watch every week. She sang that song for you. Happy 4th!

[@carolynBulldog5]

I am sooo hungry after watching this. I am 73 yrs old female and got my first Traeger last year. i have used several of your recipes and seasonings and never been disappointed! Still learning. Thank you for adding these side additions videos. Keep Kool...

[@roberts8708]

New proud owner of a Treager780 grill. Thank you and your crew for making it easy and understandable for beginners like me to cook with more confidence and to enjoy the experience. Tried your short beef ribs recipes few weeks back, this was my first time on a smoker grill. IT was a huge hit,i have repeated that same recipe three more times and it just gets better. I have a nice selection of your rubs,my kids and wife now have no problem finding me gifts for fathers day christmas etc.This July 1 I will bring the sweet bean recipe and the pull pork recipe to the party, I will follow up with you on how it was received. (with the bone) Y[all be safe . Thanks again .

[@mikeb6555]

Matt, Thank you SO much for teaching "Time and Temperature", over hawking your spices at the expense of a good cook. Recently bought some of your spices, and was NOT disappointed!

[@scottglasgow1219]

I've made the Pit Beans 3 times before, wife loves it. I usually use ground Bison and breakfast sausage, this weekend, my 4th time, I had some pork belly burnt ends leftovers, ground them added to bison and OMG...this dish is beyond good. I love every single Meat Church recipe

[@brucem7171]

Amazing! Left them on for 6 hours, really cooked down nice. And for all the type-2 people out there-I made them with sugar free Bushes and sugar free bbq sauce. Yum.

[@mikedell3144]

Matt; I tried this recipe the other day while I was smoking some ribs on my Yoder pellet smoker. I left them in the smoker for about three hours and they turned out fantastic. My wife said they were the best beans she's ever tasted. Thanks and keep the recipes rolling.

[@user-jl9wi1sv7o]

Matt, I found you a couple months ago and am so happy. You have taught me so much. I bought my first pellet smoker in May and have been having so much fun smoking. Im 67 years old and wish i had started this years ago. Im doing your baked beans today and cant wait to try them. I bought a cast iron skillet to do the beans.

[@kylerush3545]

By far the best bbq channel on youtube.

[@billystpaul8907]

Will try this on the 4th. Thanks Matt for sweating through another nice video...

[@quailstreetcoffeeroastersm6674]

Made this last night, I did a 50/50 mix of ground beef & diced spicy hot links ( that I smoked two hours prior ) I added a very small amount of BBQ sauce to cut back on the sweetness & finished it off on my weber for two hours at 225* using post oak over B&B briquettes. We served this up as our main dish & we were not mad at it!

[@chuckT479]

If you don't mind me asking, what is your "go to" spicy hot links that you use? Thanks in advance.

[@scottquay9055]

Made it. My wife doesn't like baked beans or whatever everybody wants to call them. She asked when I was going to make them again. Thanks. You have improved my BBQ game.

[@jeremykrakosky]

This is cool! My grandma and mom have been making this exact recipe for decades. I’ve started making it now and just swap jalapeño for bell pepper to cut the sweetness a little. Also add a little Worcestershire. Matt’s right though, these are a huge hit.

[@paulforbes4927]

Made them for the 4th of July picnic. With my wife's homemade barbecue sauce. Everybody loved them and there's no left over.

[@gerryhenning7337]

Very good yet easy recipe, I make beans in a similar fashion, northern beans and Bushes vegetarian with a spicy sausage and maybe add a little crisped bacon and original Stubbs bbq sauce! Thank you Matt for continuing putting out content and even during these crazy hot days that you are experiencing right now. Your the man!!

[@robertfrarey9363]

My mom made these growing up. She served them over toast. They were also served in the Army in the mid 80's as Chuck wagon stew. I heard a lot of guys say it looked like something from a baby's diaper. For me it was a taste of home.

[@jasonhollinger9513]

Nice. Beans, coleslaw, and brisket mac n cheese…love it! Keep it up man!

[@mikecorbett2456]

Tied this recipe yesterday for the first time on my Kamado Big Joe and loved it! I did a few tweaks by adding a few cloves of garlic and two minced jalapeños. It was a hit at the house! I think this will also be a great idea for leftovers such as chicken, steak etc. to throw in the pot. I am definitely making this again!

[@richarddaley6403]

Love an easy bean recipe. Can't wait to try

[@jeffmoeller4182]

I'm gonna try this one, love the smoked matloaf and the smoked salsa

[@freddyvelasquez4168]

Great side for Labor Day. You rock 🤘 Cheers from Brooklyn, NY.

[@jet163]

Hey Matt, thank you for this one man! I’ve made it twice now and people absolutely love it. I never really bothered with beans in the past because I sucked at it but this is a complete game changer! Thanks brother, all the way from Alberta, Canada eh! 🍻

[@Irish_Mike_NYC]

Wow meat in beans what a concept…I mean I grew up eating frozen store brand hot dogs cut up in cheap pork n beans but this takes it to a whole new level! Looks Delicious I gotta try making this

[@MrMrsregor]

Yea man. Growing up we just had beans without meat. As an adult, I put leftover bbq in my beans, smoked chuck, smoked brisket, pulled pork….

[@user-bc2vx1br6p]

We've been making this for a long time, but never thought about smoking it. Will definitely try for the 4th this time. Thanks for the videos.

[@nickhurst2044]

WOW! These turned out awesome! My wife and I both Love them! Thank you again for sharing!

[@sakostwwy1903]

Man I am glad I am not the only one that melts by the grill!

[@TimHPop776]

Absolutely fantastic!! I am all over this come Tuesday 🎉

[@michaelhernandez1218]

My wife and daughter love baked beans. I can tolerate them, but my son hates beans... This may be a win-win for all of us this weekend. I'm going to give it a shot 😂👍

[@dw36791]

Another great video, as usual. I'm going to try this this weekend, but I'm going to mold the hamburger into a loaf then smoke it. Once done I'll crumble the meat and add it to the sauteed veggies, then follow the recipe. I've done this before for chilli and it's bad ass.

[@ChrisPage68]

It's funny hearing you talk about your friend Mr Letchworth - because I'm from Letchworth here in England! 👍

[@travishicks5521]

Matt I’m a big fan of yours and love watching your videos. You make them so detailed and descriptive for the average backyard bbq’er to easily follow and do. I have a pellet smoker and really like how all your recipes can be done on anything. I make a lot of your cooks and they turn out great. Also love your seasonings. Keep the videos coming.

[@kelseyg4]

I love that your videos right now are at night since Texas finally decided to turn up the heat on us!

[@hootiehoogaming]

I’m gonna throw in some Jalapeños and I can’t wait I bet they’re amazing! My family thanks you for inspiring me to really venture out of my comfort zone ! I’ve really made some great BBQ because of you and Malcom Reed y’all are the best!

[@etherealmtg1778]

So happy I came across your business Matt. Staying up late in CA tonight, doing my first brisket with your Holy Cow/Holy Gospel Mix. To follow that doing some spare ribs with your Hot Honey. You have taught me so much, THANK YOU!!!!!!

[@JoeHell67]

Love Beans and these are great! Joe from Germany

[@kurtniederstadt97]

Awesome Matt, a great BBQ joint has to have great sides and this completes the deal. Thank you!!

[@thebigv8644]

My mom makes calico beans. All different kinds of beans, sometimes burger-sometimes Italian sausage. Onions peppers ketchup mustard even salsa. Kind of whatever you got in the fridge!!

[@anthonyg3447]

Made these twice on weber kettle, so good!! Last cook I chopped up some of my leftover brisket to add in the mix, was delish. Thx for the video, cheers!

[@christylensch8497]

I love that you cook in cast iron so much. I have many vintage cast pans, and recently bought a Field cast iron skillet.

[@j-clevesque7007]

Excellent beans! Made them for my family and now my son will eat beans. Great recipe and easy to do.

[@cybernode33]

I switched over from Qstoves to Asmoke and it's been a game changer! The precision in temperature control offered by Asmoke's digital controller is a real upgrade, allowing me to perfectly roast my pit beans every time and make them the star of my BBQ. The flavor variety from different wood pellets has also been an exciting exploration. The convenience factor is another big bonus. With Asmoke, I can easily monitor and adjust the grill's temperature remotely via the app, while spending time with my guests. The compact and smart design of the grill has made it my go-to for outings. Being battery powered, it's perfect for tailgating and camping trips. It's not just a grill, it's an experience. #Asmoke.

[@lafamilia1036]

Dang Matt you could've took the week off. I'm from Fredericksburg TX and work in Lake and pond management and the heat is hitting strong these last couple weeks. Appreciate everyone of your videos and especially this one because I know not everyone can handle this Texas heat ...Appreciate the Meat Church commitment

[@kapadona78]

You can make these beans as a meal. Just make some jalapeno cornbread to go with it. These are some of the best barbecue baked beans I've ever made and had. Thanks for posting the recipe Matt @meatchurch!!

[@jimmydean1147]

Love it Matt! Think I’m going to try it with ground venison. I think we need video showcasing your cast iron collection! 😁

[@KrakenShivers9292]

The way my family's always cooked beans is kinda the same way. Bell peppers, onions, meat, beans, brown sugar, and mustard. The best beans I've ever had in my life.

[@sostruk]

Just made these beans and DEAR LORD!! Are they good!! If you aren’t making these to serve beside your BBQ, you are seriously missing out!!

[@chriswakefield3580]

Omg!!!! Just did this recipe with the Deez Nuts season in the meat and the full mixture before smoking for 2-3 hours. Huge hit!! Used Pinto beans and dark kidney beans in addition to baked beans.

[@jaya2999]

"I hate beans, and these are awesome." -Matt Pittman Well, I'm sold. Gonna try this.

[@kettlegrillsandcastiron1317]

Just made these today. Used Sweet Baby Ray's hickory & brown sugar sauce and Killer Hogs BBQ rub. My wife and daughter said they still like my beans, but these are better. I will agree them. Ran at 225 on Weber kettle for 3hr. Thanks for this video. 5:56

[@andrepatterson7058]

I mix Jimmy Dean's sausage roll in mine. And sometimes add half ground beef and the sausage to it👍🏽

[@titustcards5211]

I’ve done something like this before mainly with the produce but this exact recipe is pretty awesome! Worked great for a men’s Bible study!!

[@user-rg2vu2nv2p]

I had the pleasure of meeting Sam at NC State BBQ Camp earlier this month and love the Eastern NC food content. Thanks for the recipe! I am looking forward to cooking these soon.

[@maryannedavis9556]

I make this same thing but add mustard in the beans and cheese on top. Soooooo good!!!!

[@1718BBQ]

Sam and his dad and grandpa would be proud!! NC approved!

[@chrisbailey9982]

Hole. Lee. Shat!! I watch all your videos and have made the majority of them and this knocked my ass in the dirt! Soooooo good! Had it as a side to some pork tenderloins, (also one of your videos), and grilled zucchini and it was such a perfect meal. Thanks for all your content, keep ‘em coming!

[@ytwyrm]

Matt, this was a HUGE success at a recent cookout. It was like a sleeper hit. I am not sure what I expected before I made it but everyone raved about them. Definitely going in my rotation from now on. Thank you sir! Next time you're in Southern, NH I will gladly buy you an ice cold Miller Lite.

[@davidlloyd2943]

What kind of bbq sauce did you use

[@ReidMaulsby]

Your videos and recipes are great. I don’t make a lot from YT videos but find myself using your ideas when making my meal decisions. That said, the marketing/sales speak is heavy. Yeti is great at marketing, and that’s the reason for the high prices. They’ve sold that price. Keep up the good recipes.

[@mikedell3144]

Matt; another great video. I was looking for something to smoke with some ribs I picked up for the 4th and this will be a hit with the wife. Thanks and keep the videos rolling.

[@sigrman069]

Made this yesterday with 2 exceptions. I used a poblano instead of a bell and because I couldn't find Sam Jones BBQ Sauce I used Stubbs Sticky Sweet. It was amazing!

[@DannyMacNair]

Matt, made these as a side dish for the 4th of July. These stole the show, so F’en good.

[@madeintx79]

Matt, thank you for sharing what I call a dolled up side recipe. There is some magical about having an easy “throw-together side like this when you are putting in work with your smoked proteins. I’ve never thought about putting ground beef. I have a recipe I use that has Heinz Chili Sauce and Brown Sugar added to same beans as well as bacon, jalapeños & onions! It is always a crowd pleaser!

[@nickhurst2044]

Thanks for sharing this. I currently have two 12" cast iron skillets of it going on my Pit Boss Austin XL. Looking forward to trying it later this evening.

[@mikeb-WB16Fishing]

Definitely been looking for this one! Awesome video, Matt! Thank you for all the time you invest making everyone better..

[@ericknudson5577]

Absolutely, amazing! I can't wait to try these! I have been looking for an outstanding smoked baked beans recipe for my outings this summer. Thank you!!!!

[@Blackedout04rubicon]

love your videos, and your seasonings! glad to see another cast iron cookware nerd. i own a bunch of lodge, wagnerware, griswald, and my crowning jewel of cast irons, Erie. living here in PA its great to see collectors swarm to cookware made in my home state. keep up the great videos Matt!

[@joshhalcomb5008]

Gotta love the evening heat/humidity here in Texas.. hitting 105 in grapevine today 🫠

[@peterbatt7169]

Texas heat is no joke right now. You’re a trooper!

[@bdiddlemcgriddles]

These are a massive hit with my family! It goes very well with Brisket too.

[@luisj.castironcooking]

Going to make this for the 4th of July. Also the Peach Cobbler and Pulled Pork. 👍🏽

[@pisces363]

Now, I feel like I do too much. I add bacon, smoked sausage, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, bbq sauce, onion, green/red/yellow bell peppers and a little bit of jalapeños. It’s worth the effort because people LOVE my recipe.

[@d-averion5011]

Great video. I make a similar recipe with pulled pork, but I will try it with ground beef and pork next time. Cheers to you Matt! Thanks for all you do.

[@momssidedish]

정말맛있어보여요

[@scottmaynor7147]

that sizzle, when "I'm gonna drop the meat in" , nice

[@findfreeman]

Why am I hungry now when I just ate?!? This. is. HAPPENING!!

[@danielcain-og5gs]

Will definitely try this one. I'm partial to my Wagner cast iron skillets. Not as heavy as Griswold but work just as good.

[@kevingearhart5141]

Matt (and whomever) - Made this identical recipe and method except for one difference, I used a lean mix of Ground Pork. OMG! Freaking awesome. Looking forward to firing up the beef version. Served them with a roasted chicken. Yum!

[@derekray7144]

Dang dude! That's very similar to mine. I use Ranch Style Beans, lean beef, onions, bell peppers, taco seasoning, and a can of Rotel. Yummy in the tummy!

[@donaldpruett852]

I have made that pan of beans with the exception of a little brown sugar and chopped green chilis in place of the bell pepper. It is pronominal. I never thought about putting them in the smoker. I'll remember that the next time for sure.

[@theteamtodd]

doctored up canned beans are my go to side dish. great video 👍

[@DrJohn493]

Substitute the ground beef for well seasoned, lightly fried pork sausage patties or crumbles and this recipe will be over the moon.

[@beck645]

Sir may I just spend a moment giving you some compliments? I watch a crazy amount of KZbin. Some of these people get so full of themselves that they are nauseating to watch. They let a little success go to there heads. It’s horrible to watch someone turn into a self loving fool. Why do I give you sir my highest rating? Because you are genuine. You are humble. You provide valuable information. You don’t try to act cute. You know your stuff. You don’t use vulgar language like many do. You make me want to watch more of your videos because there is nothing bad about them. I surely wish more KZbinrs were like you. I really mean that. Please don’t change. Don’t get a big head. Just stay a nice guy working to help others learn the art of cooking. I will subscribe to you because you are worth it. Congratulations on being excellent at what you do. Please keep it up. Bravo!

[@clintbartenstein6876]

I recommend using whataburger breakfast sausage instead of ground beef. My family loves it!

[@GaryYork-tk2ow]

I love the Whataburger sausage patties. When I order a biscuit and gravy, I always order one or two sausage patties on the side. I'll have to try them in these beans.

[@scottraridon5224]

I’ve made a very similar recipe using Whataburger sausage rather then ground beef. Always a crowd pleaser.

[@michelkueppers219]

That shirt is awesome!!! When they come back in stock in my size I will have to get one

[@mikecadney4141]

Just tried a version of these for Canada Day, fantastic. I do like to add Jalapeno to add a bit of heat. Keep the great videos coming. Happ fourth of July to all my American friends.

[@brenanfulkerson5717]

I’m absolutely copying that tomorrow here at Grand Lake OK. I think I’ll use some of the chopped brisket as the meat element. You never disappoint, Matt.

[@MeatChurchBBQ]

Enjoy!

[@jasonworkman7912]

I make almost the same thing, but I use spicy Italian sauage instead of burger and I had jalapeños for a bit more heat. Also add some brown sugar, molasses and some other spices. I usually do them in the crock pot, but I just got a smoker and they are gonna get done on it from now on lol

[@Dj-zz]

Now this is something I can manage. Hope you enjoyed Canada Eh! 🇨🇦

[@HeritageFarmsTexas]

Another home run! Great job. This just made the weekend menu!

[@JohnnyVegasStudio]

Made these while smoking a couple racks of pork ribs this past weekend ... oh man were they good! Thanks for the recipe!

[@sbdot3901]

Made this for the family on July 4th. Wasn't a home run, it was a Grand Slam!

[@jeffback3901]

I am a recent Traeger owner and much to do from advice from Meat Church. Thank you. these videos and your Traeger videos make it very user friendly!

[@kylecoursey]

My wife does these very similar but does 50/50 sausage and ground beef..then some brown sugar over the top,very delicious

[@trewilliams9569]

This is 🔥🔥🔥. I've been looking for a recipe for baked beans.

[@MattX28025]

Can't have BBQ in NC without beans and Mac n cheese. Smoking a brisket for the 4th and this will definitely be a side! 👍