Slow Cooker BBQ Beans and Sausage

I completely overlooked this recipe in my new issue of Food Network Magazine, so it's a really good thing that Jessie saw it and posted about it, because given my current barbecue obsession I would have hated to miss out on this.

We all liked this dish a lot. It was spicier than I anticipated -- probably due to the seasoning and Worcestershire sauce -- and it just had really great flavor overall. I made a few changes to the recipe; I used a steak seasoning blend instead of BBQ seasoning, maple syrup instead of molasses, and maple- and brown sugar-flavored pork sausage links instead of chicken-apple sausages (the only place I've seen chicken-apple sausages around here is Trader Joe's, and the closest store to us is too far to travel for just one ingredient). My adaptations probably changed the flavor profile of the dish quite a bit, but it was still really good. This dish would be perfect for a summer cookout -- and it's really simple to prepare, too, which is always a plus.

Slow Cooker BBQ Beans and Sausage
source: Food Network Magazine, August/September 2009

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tablespoons molasses (I used maple syrup)
3 tablespoons honey mustard
2 tablespoons barbecue seasoning blend (I used steak seasoning)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound dry navy beans, rinsed and picked over
2 cloves
1 small onion, halved
1 1/2 pounds chicken-apple sausages, each halved lengthwise (I used 1 pound of maple and brown sugar pork sausage links)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1. Whisk the broth, 3 cups water, tomato paste, brown sugar, syrup, mustard, steak seasoning and garlic in a slow cooker. Add the beans. Push a clove into each onion half; tuck the onions and sausages into the beans in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the beans are tender, about 6 hours. (I cooked mine on low for about 9 hours.)

2. Discard the onion halves. Stir in the vinegar and Worcestershire sauce, then let the mixture sit, uncovered, about 15 minutes. (The longer the beans sit, the more flavorful they will be.)