These southern style Homemade Bacon Baked Beans are jam packed with bold BBQ flavor and a billion times better than the stuff from a can! Smoky, spicy, sweet, and bursting with brown sugar and bacon, this recipe for bacon beans is perfect for your next potluck, barbecue or summer soiree!Recipe can be scaled up or down by using the slider if you hover your mouse over the number of Servings.
Partially cook bacon: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heatand add chopped bacon. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add veggies: Add in the onion, bell pepper and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant and the bacon is browned, about 1 minute.
Add in the remaining ingredients (if using slow cooker method, reduce water to ½ cup*), stirring to make sure everything is well combined. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring everything to a simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid.
OVEN: Cover pot and transfer it to a preheat 300 degree F oven (make sure oven rack is set to lower-middle position). Bake for 45 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Remove the lid, stir, and continue to bake until the sauce is thickened and sticky, about an additional 30-45 minutes. If needed during baking, add more water to adjust consistency.
STOVE TOP: Cover pot and reduce heat to maintain a simmer (between medium to medium-low). Cook, stirring at 30 minute intervals, for 1 ½ hours, or until the sauce is thickened and sticky.
SLOW COOKER: (Make sure you reduced water to ½ cup in step 2) Transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on LOW. (Note: While the beans are slow cooking, make the candied bacon, let it cool and chop it into bite size pieces - if using.)
Serve: Taste beans and adjust for salt and pepper to taste. Top with candied bacon if using. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Beans: You can substitute any kind of beans you would like: Northern, Pinto, Red Kidney Beans, or use a mix of two!
Cooking Bacon: If your bacon is lean, add a small drizzle of oil to the pan before adding the bacon.
Thickening Beans: If the beans aren’t thickened and sticky, continue to cook them with the lid OFF until mixture thickens to desired consistency.
If you want to cook the beans in the oven AND garnish with candied bacon, cook the candied bacon in advance. It will keep in a zip-closure bag, or container with a tight fitting lid, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
*To Use Dried Beans: (You will need 1 pound of dried beans)
Soak Beans:
Overnight method: Whisk together 8 cups of water with ½ tsp baking soda and 2 TBS kosher salt in a large pot. Add the beans, cover, and let soak at room temperature overnight (or about 8 hours). Transfer to a colander to drain and rinse well with running water.
Quick soak method: Place beans in a large pot with ½ tsp baking soda and 2 TBS kosher salt. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2-3’’. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 3 minutes. Remove beans from heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour. Transfer beans to a colander to drain and rinse well with running water.
Cook Beans: Add beans back to the pot and add enough water to cover the beans by 3’’. Bring beans to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 1 hour. Drain and proceed with recipe as instructed.
Recipe Yield: Roughly 10 cupsNutritional information is an approximation based upon 12 servings. Exact information will depend upon the brands of ingredients and precise measurements used.