Print

Best Smoky Baked Beans: Easy Brown Sugar Bacon Recipe

smoky baked beans with brown sugar and bacon - featured image
Print Recipe

These classic smoky baked beans with brown sugar and bacon are the ultimate comfort food side dish. With a glossy, caramelized top and deep, savory-sweet flavor, they’re perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or any cozy meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb thick-cut bacon, diced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup tomato ketchup
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 cans (15 oz each) navy beans, drained and rinsed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Dice bacon into 1-inch pieces, dice onion, and mince garlic.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon pieces until crispy and fat is rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; leave rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Add diced onion to the hot bacon fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and dried thyme to the pot. Stir until well combined and sugar has mostly dissolved. Let come to a gentle simmer.
  5. Add drained and rinsed navy beans and cooked bacon back into the pot. Stir gently to coat. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (about ½ teaspoon pepper and a pinch of salt).
  6. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer on stovetop. Cover pot with lid and transfer to preheated oven. Bake covered for 1 hour. Remove lid, stir gently, and bake uncovered for another 1 to 1.5 hours, until sauce is thickened and dark, and top is caramelized.
  7. Remove from oven and let rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. Sauce will thicken further as it cools.

Notes

For a saucier consistency, bake uncovered for only 1 hour total. For thicker, jammy beans, bake the full 2.5 hours. Leftovers taste even better the next day. Can be made ahead and reheated.

Nutrition

Keywords: smoky baked beans, brown sugar bacon beans, easy baked beans, BBQ side dish, comfort food, potluck recipe

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/best-smoky-baked-beans-easy-brown-sugar-bacon-recipe/