Fat Boys BBQ Recipes

To follow up on the origin story of Fat Boy’s Bar-B-Q, here are some of the recipes shared from this throwback restaurant favorite. These recipes were passed down to Fat Boy’s founder, Andy Keller, from Florida barbeque legend Joe Culpepper.

Baked Beans

  • (1) 16-oz package of navy beans
  • (3) quarts of water
  • (4) ounces of smoked bacon or fresh pork cut into 1/2-inch squares
  • (1-2) onions, chopped
  • (1) teaspoon of garlic, granulated or powdered
  • (1) cup of Heinz ketchup
  • (3) tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
  • (1) tablespoon prepared mustard
  • (1) cup of any decent bottled barbeque sauce
  • (3/4) cup of dark brown sugar
  • (1) cup of barbecued meat (outside cut, well-smoked), ground

Wash the beans, add the water, garlic, bacon (or pork), and chopped onion. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, let cool, and soak overnight in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator and boil for 1 to 2 hours until just tender. Test regularly during the last half hour of cooking so you don’t overcook.

Make the bean sauce while the beans are still cooking. Mix the remaining ingredients into a large bowl. Mix well. Remove the beans from the heat. Drain off excess liquid from the beans into a bowl, keeping it just above the level of the beans in the pot. Reserve liquid. Add bean sauce sauce to the beans and mix well. Check for seasoning. Bean sauce should be thick. Spoon into a large, shallow baking pan (candies are better in a shallow pan). Bake, uncovered, in 350 degrees oven for about 2 hours. Stir twice or thrice in the first hour, mixing the crust so beans will be candied throughout. Bake until crust forms and candies on the top.

Dark Jamaican rum may be added to the sauce to taste if desired.

Makes 10 servings.

Brunswick Stew

Brunswick Stew (Wikimedia)
  • (1 ) 3.5 or 4-pound fryer chicken, cut into pieces
  • (1/2) pound of ground beef
  • (1/2) pound of ground pork
  • (2 1/2) quarts of water
  • (1) 1 pound can of peeled tomatoes
  • (1) large onion, chopped
  • (1/2) teaspoon of thyme
  • (4) teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
  • (1) 10-ounce package of frozen whole-kernel corn
  • (1) 10-ounce package of frozen baby lima beans
  • (3) tablespoons of flour and (1/2) cup of water
  • Pepper to taste
  • Chicken soup base or bouillon cubes to taste

Place chicken and water in a pressure cooker with chopped onion. Add chicken soup base or bouillon to taste. Do not salt. Bring to pressure and cook for 20 minutes.

If a pressure cooker is unavailable, follow the same procedure but simmer until the chicken meat is ready to fall off the bones.

Remove chicken from the broth to cool. Pick off the meat from the bone and mash until the meat is in tiny shreds. Return to pot with the stock. Add tomatoes (crushed), thyme, MSG, Worcestershire, and pepper. Boil for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the chicken boils, put ground beef and pork into another stock pot. Add 3/4 cup of water and cook very slightly, stirring continuously, to break up the meat granules so there will be no lumps. Turn off the heat and set aside, do not overcook. Add ground meat to the chicken pot and simmer for 30 more minutes.

If you like a more liquid stew, add one pint of water. Check for seasoning.

Turn down the heat and thicken with 3 tablespoons of flour in 1/2 cup water. Simmer until the liquid is the consistency of a thick gravy so that the ingredients are suspended throughout. It is best when refrigerated overnight so that all the flavors blend. Freezes well.

Yields three-quarters of stew. Serve with hot garlic bread and tossed salad.

5 thoughts on “Fat Boys BBQ Recipes

  1. BBQ sauce recipe?
    I worked as a cook at the Plantation Pit BBQ in Miami on Bird rd. In ’75 – ’78
    I used to prep the BBQ sauce but can’t remember it to this day.
    I’ve worked for numerous “BBQ” places Tony Roma’s, Bobby Rubinos, Norris’ Famous, Cowboys. Nothing compares to the Plantation Pit.

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