Newsflash: You can grill beans. That’s right, you can have tender, smoky beans without a fancy smoker. All you need is a good-old-fashioned charcoal grill and some aluminum foil. The trick is not just to wrap the beans in the foil–that’ll work, but you’ll wind up with steamed beans. You need to use a toothpick to puncture tiny holes in the foil. That’ll let the smoke seep into your foil packet and give your beans a deep, slightly bitter flavor. For an even bigger hit of smoke, add wood chips like apple or mesquite to your coals. Make sure you soak your wood chips for at least 30 minutes before adding them to your coals so they smolder and give off maximum smoke.
In addition to your fantastic smoky beans, this mixed bean salad also makes the most of late-summer produce. Charred corn and zucchini are summer standbys, but don’t under estimate the deliciousness of grilled tomatoes. The heat brings out the tomatoes’ sweetness and pairs beautifully with fresh basil.
This meal is hearty enough to serve as a main dish along with a glass of crisp white wine, or serve it along grilled pork or chicken or a wonderful end-of-summer meal.
Grilled Mixed Bean Salad
Ingredients:
- 4 1/2 cups of Randall Beans Deluxe Mixed Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 ears of corn, husk removed
- 3 tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick
- 1 zucchini, sliced ¼ inch thick
- 8-10 large basil leaves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Take two large sheets of foil and prepare a foil packet for the beans. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and black pepper and mix together. Seal the packet and use a toothpick to poke a dozen holes into the packet so that the smoke from the grill can get to the beans. Set on the grill for 20 minutes or until warmed through.
Grill the corn about ten minutes or until it gets the color you want on it. Grill the tomatoes and zucchini for a few minutes on each side.
Remove the beans from the foil packet and place into a large bowl. Cut the corn off the cob, slice the zucchini and tomatoes into smaller pieces and add them to the beans. Chop the basil and add it to the salad along with the lemon juice and stir until incorporated.
Summertime is the perfect time to try this tasty recipe featuring Randall Great Northern Beans.
