Soak the beans: Place the beans in a large pot and cover with a couple inches of water. Soak the beans overnight and then drain. Alternatively, bring a pot with the beans covered with 2 inches of water to a boil, remove from heat and let soak for an hour, then drain.

Cook the onion and garlic: Heat the bacon fat and the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed lidded pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often, until translucent and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the beans, ham hock, water, salt, and coffee, then simmer: Add the drained beans into the pot with the onions. Add the ham hock, the water, a little salt, and the coffee. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1 to 2 hours. (Some beans may take longer to cook, especially if they are older.) The beans should be soft enough to chew but not mushy soft.

Add the BBQ sauce and continue cooking: Add the barbecue sauce and stir to combine. Cover and simmer on low heat until the meat from the ham hock begins to separate from the bone, up to 2 hours. After an hour, check on the beans every 15 minutes. If the beans begin to break down, remove from heat.

Strip the ham hock and season the beans: When the beans are done cooking, pull the ham hock and strip the meat from the bone. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Add salt to taste. Add pickled jalapeños to taste for some heat, if desired. Serve with a little grated cheese and chopped red onion on top. Did you love the recipe? Leave a comment and give us some stars below!