Bix and Beans
Everyone loves a good corporate meme going viral. Just to update with the biggest news story of the week, the following tweet was posted this Tuesday from the official Weetabix twitter account:
Many bored 20-somethings managing Twitter accounts from GCHQ to the NHS got on board to reply a topical reaction. Quite understandably, the main reaction was disgust but I felt this combination deserved a chance. So I rushed off to the shops to see what the big fuss was about.
I didn't particularly want to spend £2.50 on some Weetabix I wasn't too fussed about when there was a perfectly good 80p version. Anyway, I heated the Heinz baked beans on the hob for about 5 minutes and placed the Bix in the bowls.
I was subjecting my housemates to this but I only gave them one Bix each since I didn't want to be too cruel.
The overall consensus was that it was fine. The concept is more horrifying than the actual flavour itself and the best way to eat it was to just forget about the Weetabix element of it. The texture was probably the most unusual part since the Baked Beans don't manage to break down the Bix in a similar way to Milk.
Food ranking 3/10
Anyway, I thought I could do one better by creating my own Weetabix and making homemade baked beans. Feel free to cook along with this blog! The following is (most of) the ingredients I will be working with:
Begin by simmering the wheat flakes in some water in a pan to create a porridge like substance
The porridge mush was then drained (as much as it could be).
While the mush was doing it's thing, I made a start on the Beans! 2 Onions were sliced and placed in the deep dish frying pan to caramelise.
5 cloves of Garlic and 4 medium sized Tomatoes were crushed and chopped ready to be added to the caramelized onions
I wanted to give the Beans it's more signature red colouring so some Annatto seeds along with Cumin seeds were fried in some vegetable oil. The Annatto seeds would infuse it's red colouring then would be added to the main pan at a later stage.
Returning to the main pan after 20 minutes of not moving the onions. The garlic and fresh tomatoes were added
Once the Garlic and tomatoes has cooked for about 5 minutes, 2 cans of Haricote beans were added along with the Annatto oil.
The container of Passata was then added. This was when the following spices were added to create a more meaty flavour:
- Chilli Chipotle Paste
- Marmite
- Dijon Mustard
- Nutritional Yeast
- Brown Sugar
This mixture was then set to simmer for the next 10 minutes.
Meanwhile the Weetabix mush had become slightly more solid so I decided to take it out the oven. Rice Malt syrup was mixed in to add some flavour.
Sadly I do not have Weetabix sized moulds lying around so a muffin tray was deemed suitable enough. These trays were greased since I was slightly concerned the Bix mush would be stuck in the tray forever. This was then placed in the oven to crisp up.
Getting back to the Beans, the mixture was then poured into a Tray and covered in tin foil so not too much moisture would leave the pan. After 30 minutes the following was the result.
The Weetabix managed to crisp up a bit more and thankfully leave the muffin holes with ease. They were then plated up ready for consumption.
This had a far more pleasant presentation. I had full confidence in the beans but the combination with Bix still remained a mystery.
The verdict: Far tastier than the original version. The Bix somewhat resembled a dough like substance not too dissimilar from Gruel Bread. In my opinion this worked far more than the dry texture of the store bought Weetabix. The Beans were a triumph and captured the essence of Heinz baked beans while having a smokier more filling flavour.
Food Ranking 7/10
In conclusion, it's not a terrible idea but would choose freshly baked sourdough any day over a Bix mush.
References:
- https://twitter.com/weetabix/status/1359074254789165059
- https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-make-your-own-Weetabix-cereal-from-scratch-at-home
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