McCormick 4th of July Red, White and Blue Grilled Beans with Apple Wood Smoke

4th of July Red, White and Blue McCormick Beans Smoked with Apple Wood

 

I decided to test drive a new patriotic side dish for the 4^th of July. We usually go pretty traditional with hamburgers and hot dogs for the 4th of July, but I like to serve up something unique and special on the side for the big summer holiday.

This year I decided I wanted to make red, white and blue beans. Let me warn you that blue beans are a challenge, and I actually used back beans. I suspect there’s a farmer somewhere with heirloom blue beans, but I don’t know where to find her. You still get the general 4^th of July color theme even with the black beans, since they are dark and balance nicely with the white and reds.

 

McCormick Montreal Steak Sauce

I also wanted to showcase the new McCormick Montreal SteakSauce. After having a little taste, I thought the sauce, which has a really beautiful flavor, would really pop nicely in the bean dish.

I gathered up my ingredients for my Red, White and Blue Beans which included the following:

 

• 1 can red kidney beans
• 1 can white Navy beans
• 1 can black beans
•      *Note: All beans were in the 14-15 ounce sized cans, and I drained the beans.
• 1 can undrained petite diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
• 1 pound of cooked meat (I used smoke pulled pork, but hamburger or sausage cooked and the grease drained off also works in this dish)
• 1 small onion diced fine
• 2/3 cup McCormick Montreal Steak Sauce

Directions for McCormick 4^th of July Beans:

Put all the ingredients in a grill pan (the toss away size 13x9x2 works well) and stir until evenly mixed. Place on any type of grill over medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

 

Consider adding some smoke flavor which is a great new trend this year as noted on the McCormick Flavor Trends page. No matter how you grill, you can add a little wood either in the fire or in a homemade aluminum foil cup to put on the gas grill grate beside the food. In this case, the guys voted for apple wood to pump up the flavors for the beans.

 

 Mix Red, White and Blue McCormick Beans Right in the Pan - Super Simple

The Proof was in the Empty Pan . . .

My Red, White and Blue (black) Beans were a hit. We had a family gathering last night with a dozen of us with a whole table full of food (as always), and the beans went fast.

The Red, White, and Blue bean dish looks really pretty, and the flavor is spot on. The Montreal Steak Sauce gives the recipe the special “something” I was hoping for.

If you want a really yummy side dish for the 4^th of July (or even a main dish since it has meat), then you can’t go wrong with Red, White and Blue beans.

For other great ideas for the 4^th of July, be sure to check out the McCormick Grilling Flavor Forecast where you’ll find new and creative ideas ranging from grilled fruit drinks to 5-minute marinades dishes. You can also get lots of new and creative ideas at the McCormick Grill Mates Facebook page which builds on the great company information along with lots of new ideas from creative fans.

 

*Please note that I’m a paid ambassador for McCormick this summer and that I got the steak sauce for free. As always I do give my honest thoughts and opinions.