Sweet, tangy and with just enough spice to give the dish extra personality, these barbecue beans are robust enough to stand next to any hearty main at your summer gatherings. For this recipe, I combine chopped bacon all of the essentials that go into a great barbecue sauce — dark brown sugar, onion, garlic, ketchup, chiles, a touch of cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce — to add big flavor and richness to this classic bean dish. As with so many comfort foods, the flavor only improves with time, and the dish is best made a day or so before serving.

Every day this week, I’ll be sharing the Fourth of July menu I plan on serving to family and friends for the holiday next week. I’ll cover sides, dessert, and a show-stopping main. Oh, and I’ll share my favorite barbecue sauce, because no summer party is complete without a signature sauce.

BROWN SUGAR AND BACON BARBECUE BEANS

1 hour. Serves 8 to 10

1 (12-ounce) package smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 large onion, diced

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup beer

2 tablespoons finely diced chipotle chiles

1 1/2 teaspoons dried mustard

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 cup ketchup

1 (54-ounce can) pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon just begins to crisp, about 10 minutes. Stir in the onion, cooking until it softens, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and then the tomato paste, cooking until the garlic is fragrant and the paste coats the ingredients.

2. Stir in the beer, scraping any flavoring from the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped chiles, mustard and brown sugar, stirring until evenly incorporated. Stir in the vinegar, Worcestershire and ketchup to combine, then stir in the beans.

3. Gently simmer for 20 minutes to marry the flavors, stirring frequently to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. The beans are best made a day before serving. The beans will keep for 1 week, refrigerated. Gently reheat before serving.

Note: From Noelle Carter.