Canned Beans??

Texman · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject: Canned Beans??

We have noticed that several caterers on this site reference the use of canned beans. Canned beans? Very Happy

So with tongue in cheek, along with a touch of humor we ask this question: Why start with canned beans? Why not start from scratch? Is it related to a laziness issue or cost savings? Shocked

We start from scratch with pinto beans. What type beans do others use for their catering?

BBQMAN · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

I use Bush's beans with brown sugar and pork. Great quality, and reasonable price. We add sauted onions and BBQ sauce to zoot em' up a bit.

To answer your other questions we offer baked beans and fresh coleslaw as the two sides with our budget oriented meal price structure. I am way to busy to cook beans from scratch for parties of 200 plus. I normally cook at parties of 75-150, and even those require a gallon per 25 guests.

I could of course cook beans from scratch, but choose not to. The price would also go up as well. I know Gordon does a scratch meaty bean recipe that is priced as a meat entree due to the costs involved.
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SoEzzy · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject: Re: Canned Beans??

BBQMAN · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

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corndog · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

Texman...time and energy are porportional to money charged....when one increases, so does the other...We use Bushe's also and we put in enough stuff to call them our own.... Laughing

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OddThomas · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

allsmokenofire · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

I think we're talking different beans here. South Texas doesn't do a whole lotta baked beans. It's pinto beans mainly....no brown sugar/molasses/ketchup, sticky, sweet kinda thing. Just a big pot of pintos or borracho beans....which are much better from scratch. Baked beans I'll start with canned anytime. Wink

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Texman · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

The jest we get from these posts is that the use of Bush�s baked beans fits your ease of serving factory-produced beans, with �originality� of each caterer created by adjusting flavor profiles of canned beans, to save time and energy proportionate to money charged.

Thanks, we have been enlightened in the use of canned beans and the pride of making them original.
Very Happy

BBQMAN · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

Awesome Texman, scratch beans are certainly something to be proud of! Very Happy

How much do you charge per person for them?

How long does it take to prepare your style of scratch beans for say a party of 100, start to finish?
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marvsbbq · BBQ All Star Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 6186

I use 'house brand' beans....CHEAP!! Then I add 9 other ingredients and cook them on the smoker uncoverd to allow the smoke to lay on the top. During this process (about 3 hrs) the bean juice evaporates some to make them more like 'Boston Baked Beans...kind of thick and 'candy like' (from what I add to them).

When I take them off right before serving, I stir in the smoke that is laying on the top....

My beans have 10 ingredients (including the beans)

I have tried the Bush's beans but like working with the store brand to get the results I want....And the price difference is a factor as well.

I DO however offer (starting this season) a Pinto Bean Soup that I will make from scratch while on site.

EVERYTHING I have on my menu IS made on site. Saves TONS of time and $$$ therefore putting more $$$ in MY pockets.
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Texman · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

BBQMan we were just curious about the use of canned beans, and due to our lack of knowledge found humor in it.

Canned beans are not commonplace in our end of the world, vs. from scratch, and no disrespect was meant with the jest of our question to anyone.

We charge $1.50 per person for a 4 oz serving, non-sweet, which fits the demographics of our customer base.

Regardless of the number it takes us 4 days to prepare. Two days soaking, two days cooking. Creating beans from scratch does entail the cost of time consumption, along with salt pork, peppers etc., but we have quality cheap labor on this Mexican border that may be the difference from other US areas.

marvsbbq · BBQ All Star Joined: 15 May 2005 Posts: 6186

where do you do all of this 'prep and cooking' at???
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OddThomas · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

OddThomas · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

adolpho · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

If a customer wants us to provide the beans, we only use canned Ranch Style beans (we cook on site and canned beans or store prepared beans are all we'll serve). Like Marv, we put it in the smoker or sometime on the firebox. Just depends on the amount of room.

Baked beans don't fly well around here.
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SoEzzy · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

Texman what sort of hours in total are you looking at for one 4-Day preparation of beans, far 100 people?

Cleaning, soaking, cooking, etc. What is the real cost in time of starting from scratch?

The other pertinent question is what is the wage / hour of the person who does that work?

I�m not try to nose too deep, I just want to see how it stacks up against, opening 4 cans of ready to cook beans and tweaking them to make them an individual enough recipe to be proud of them, ready to feed 100 + people.

I sometimes have more time than I know what to do with, and at $1.50 / 4 Oz, the 468 Oz of Bushes beans cost me about $38.00 to make, with $10.00 of meat (5 � 6 lbs chopped pork) and spices in there, and $28.00 of beans, for a return of $175.50 or 362% profit.

If it works out significantly cheaper to soak and cook and add on the fuel and labor costs, it may be time to dig out the bulk pinto or great northern beans and the biggest Dutch oven in the cupboard.

No offence intended by my earlier "chilihead" name calling either! Wink

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OddThomas · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

SoEzzy · Posted: Apr 04 2007 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Apr 05 2007 Post subject:

No problem at all Texman, I understand where you are coming from! Very Happy

You asked, and at least we gave you an answer! Actually a very good question too! Very Happy

I (like Marv) have to operate my business as an on-site service to avoid the hassles associated with being a "caterer". The health dept. here is pretty strict on their guidlines. For instance, we mix fresh shredded cabbage on-site with a sweet poppyseed dressing. I buy my fresh fruit salad already cut up either from sam's Club or the local grocer (which is very expensive, but I can't take the time to cut up all that fruit at an event!)

From that stand point, and the cost in time and energy, it just isn't worth it for me to make beans from scratch! Very Happy

P.S. Time to up your price my man! Wink

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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.