We love and eat everything that I post on the blog, but one of the recipes that I’m most proud of is my recipe for homemade BBQ sauce. I’ve used it for my crock pot BBQ meatballs and my BBQ shrimp and grits, but I think these BBQ bacon baked beans are my new favorite use for it. I used three different kinds of beans in this recipe: great northern beans (which are similar to navy beans), small red kidney beans, and butter beans. I love the way all the different beans look and taste together!
Naturally there’s bacon in these baked beans, which to me is an absolutely essential ingredient. I use thick-cut bacon for some extra chew and I think it’s perfect here. I could go on and on about the BBQ sauce. Normally when I make it, I’ll run it through a blender because there are chopped onions and minced garlic in it. But for these baked beans, you can skip that step because those will just add extra texture. This sauce though! It’s smoky and sweet and savory and just a little spicy. I recommend you make a double batch and keep the extra in a mason jar to use throughout the summer.
Today for the Fourth of July, we’re hosting few friends for a BBQ! Kevin is grilling burgers, hot dogs, and bratwurst. I’m making guacamole, Italian chopped pasta salad, our favorite tomato cucumber salad, mint julep lemonade, and serving these baked beans. For dessert I’m making festive cupcakes! The bacon, jalapeno, gorgonzola potato salad, watermelon mint and feta salad, and melon Caprese salad are all excellent choices too though!
I hope that however you spend your holiday, it’s filled with good food and your loved ones. There’s no way that I’ll still be awake in time for the 10pm fireworks show here, but I hope you get to enjoy all the fun that this holiday has to offer. Happy Fourth of July!
- 2 cans great northern beans (or navy beans)
- 2 cans butter beans
- 1 can light red small kidney beans
- 1 lb. thick cut bacon
- 1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp. smoked paprika
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- A few dashes of hot sauce
- Salt to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Open all the cans of beans, rinse well and set aside to drain.
- Chop the bacon into pieces roughly ½ inch-1 inch in width and place in a large frying pan. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until fully cooked. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on a plate lined with paper towels.
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent.
- Add molasses, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chili powder, mustard, black pepper, and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer. Allow sauce to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add salt as needed.
- In a large bowl, add beans and bacon. Pour sauce over the beans and mix gently to combine.
- Transfer the beans to a baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling.
- Serve and enjoy!
- Beans can also be made in advance and baked before serving. Cook time may be slightly longer since the beans will be at refrigerator temperature.
[…] always have canned beans in my pantry, but if you want beans with the most flavor, you want to cook them yourself. Making […]