Keri's Baked Beans (The World's Best!)

I was trying to find a good baked bean recipe to bring over to a friends house for a party. I love barbecue, and I frequent a website called The Smoke Ring. The members on the site kept saying over and over again that Keri's Baked Beans were the best, so I decided to give them a try. Let me tell you, they are the BEST. Don't let the apple pie filling scare you... A big thank you goes to Keri for developing this recipe. Enjoy

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 pot

Ingredients

• 3 -4  slices bacon, diced
• 2 (28 ounce) cans  baked beans, mostly drained (used Bush's Baked Beans. This was modified from the original 2 (16 oz)
• 1⁄2 cup barbecue sauce (I make my own sweet & spicy BBQ sauce, but Blues Hog was used in the original recipe)
• 1  lb pork sausage (The original called for leftover smoked pork or beef, I didn't have any BBQ leftover so I used this)
• 1 (21 ounce) can  apple pie filling (chop up the big chunks some)
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 1⁄2 green pepper, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2  tablespoons mustard (prepared)
• 1  teaspoon  dried chipotle pepper (or cayenne pepper optional, to taste*)
• 1  teaspoon  your favorite barbecue rub (Blues Hog rub was used in the original)

Directions

1. Brown pork sausage and remove from pan. When cooled, break into smaller bits.
2. Brown bacon and remove from pan.
3. Saute onion and green pepper in bacon grease and remove from pan.
4. Mix all ingredients into a large baking dish and bake at 325º for 1 hour, or simmer on stove top in large pot for 30 minutes if you don't have time to do them in the oven.
5. This is a rather spicy recipe due to the chipotle/cayenne powder. Feel free to leave it out if you'll be feeding those who prefer a less spicy taste.