In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the salt, pepper, and beans.

Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar.

Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until reduced by one-third, about 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

To make it in the oven: Preheat the oven to 325°F.

Pour the sauce and the beans into a large enameled cast-iron casserole dish and stir to combine.

Cover partially and bake for 1 hour, until the beans are glazed.

Taste the beans and season with salt and pepper, then serve.

To make it in a smoker: Heat the smoker to 325°F.

Pour the sauce and beans into a large deep aluminum baking pan.

Cover the pan with foil.

Cook in the smoker until the beans are tender, checking to make sure they’re not drying out, about 1 hour.

The beans are done when the top is dark brown and the sauce is bubbling.

Let the beans stand in their pan, covered, for about 15 minutes to rest before serving.