Do your baked beans need a little perking up?

If you said ‘yes’, then you’ve literally just found the Best Baked Beans with Bacon recipe EVER! This hearty recipe has it all with everything marrying together just perfectly: brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, garlic — yup, garlic, smoked paprika, and several dashes of chipotle chili powder.

This recipe is worthy of kneeling down and saying a prayer of immense gratitude for such a musical creation of flavor to ever pass one’s lips!

It’s one of my family’s best classic recipes for get-togethers whether that be for a large gang or a small gathering. And if you enjoy potlucks, you’ll be a huge hit if you bring this dish.

This recipe doesn’t require soaking any beans overnight nor rinsing them after a good night’s soak. They don’t require cooking for hours on end in an oven or on the stove either. Plus, you don’t even need an InstaPot or crockpot. It is seriously ready in less than an hour and a half!

If you’re wanting baked beans to stay warm for serving, then certainly pour them into a crockpot and keep them on a low heat while your guests help themselves. You might also have other heated serving containers to use.

And if you find yourself reaching for the store-bought canned varieties of baked beans, well, that’s OK in a pinch. Even we “doctor” those up. But truth is, my friends, this is really just so EASY to make. You’ll just love these LIP-SMACKING, totally knock-your-socks-off Baked Beans with Bacon instead of those from a can only.

Everyone’s tastes are different, we can all agree on that. Some of us prefer recipes to have a strong savory sense throughout, whereas, if you’re like my husband, you’re drawn to recipes that have a sweeter tone overall. And don’t forget about the smoke . . . something that my husband and I both agree on that needs to be present in any recipe related to barbequing.

These baked beans with bacon have the perfect blend of each: savory, sweet, and smoky.

They are FULL-BODIED with a delicious, complex combination of the three trinity barbeque flavors:  

You get the savory flavor from the beans, onions, garlic, mustard, chipotle, Worcestershire, and bacon. The sweet notes come from the brown sugar, BBQ sauce, and ketchup. And finally, just the right amount of smokiness sneaks in from the smoky paprika and hickory-smoked, thick-cut bacon.

These baked beans are so addicting (think: eating them straight out of the pot before serving — that type of addicting), that you may want to double up on these beans, especially since they freeze nicely!

WHY WE LOVE THESE BAKED BEANS:

• The incredible flavor!!! There is just SO MUCH FABULOUS FLAVOR in these baked beans!
• The sauce! Slurp it with a spoon into your mouth wide-open!
• They’re thick and hearty.
• The BACON. BACON. BACON!
• You can feed a crowd.
• There’s no need for soaking any beans overnight.
• We use our favorite Bush’s Grillin’ Beans: Southern Pit Barbecue, Bourbon and Brown Sugar, and Smokehouse Tradition
• They FREEZE well.

HOW TO STORE BAKED BEANS WITH BACON:

• If there are any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
• FREEZE baked beans for up to 3 months, again in an airtight container. Always cool off hot dishes before placing them in a freezer.
• If you freeze any leftovers, allow them to thaw out overnight in the fridge before serving again. Once thawed out, reheat the baked beans in a 350°F degree oven for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

More Side Dish Recipes for You To ENJOY!

• Caprese Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Mozzarella, and Fresh Basil
• Loaded Carolina Cowboy Caviar Salsa Dip
• Classic, Creamy, Loaded Broccoli Salad
• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad Kissed With Garlic in Dill Dressing

RECOMMENDED KITCHEN GEAR FOR BAKED BEANS:

2-Quart, 9″ Round, Ceramic, Deep Casserole Baking Dish with Lid — Oven Safe for Dinner Party, Banquet, and/or Daily Use

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Yield: 10 servings

The BEST Baked Beans with Bacon EVER

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These baked beans will have everyone 'oohing' and 'aweing' over how over-the-top delicious they are. You'll never look for another baked beans recipe again once you try these. They are an expected staple in our family circle at get-togethers or a simple backyard cookout!

Ingredients

• 1-½ pounds of thick-cut bacon
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp. molasses
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ tsp chipotle chili powder
• 2 tsp. dried ground mustard (or you can also use Dijon mustard or Spicy Brown Mustard)
• 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
• ¼ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
• 3 - 14 oz. cans of Bush's Baked Beans (use your choice of flavors)
• Garnish: 4 slices of crispy, cooked slices of bacon

Instructions

1. In a large dutch oven or pot, on medium heat, fry the bacon until crispy. It should be dark red and dark brown in color. Remove the bacon from the grease drippings and place it on a plate with paper towls to tap dry excess grease. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the grease drippings and discard the rest. Reserve 3 or 4 slices of bacon to garnish the baked beans at the end before serving.
2. When cool, chop up the bacon in nice-sized chunks, about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch long.
3. In the reserved grease drippings and using the same pot, reduce the heat to medium-low add the onion, and cook for 10 minutes to allow the onions to caramelize and soften.
4. Add in the garlic and saute' for about 1 minute.
5. Add the apple cider vinegar, BBQ sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses and mix well.
6. Add the light brown sugar, chipotle chili powder, ground mustard, smoked paprika, and freshly-cracked black pepper and mix well.
7. Add the crumbled bacon and beans of your choice along with the liquid in the cans.
8. Bring everything to a gentle boil and reduce to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. OR place the mixture in a 350 F degree oven and bake for 30 minutes until bubbly and syrupy.
9. Garnish the beans with the 3 - 4 slices of bacon that were set aside earlier.
10. Serve warm.
11. ENJOY!

Notes

These baked beans can be prepared ahead of time: After all of the steps are done, allow the beans to cool down to room temperature. Then cool and place in the fridge. When you are ready bake for about 30 - 45 minutes.

This also freezes well!

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  2 Qt, 9" Round Ceramic Casserole Baking Dish with Lid,Oven Safe, Deep Baking for Oven/Stovetop for Dinner Party, Banquet and/or Daily Use, Farmhouse Style (Blue)

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