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Smoky BBQ Baked Beans with Bacon: Easy Homemade Recipe

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These smoky BBQ baked beans with bacon are the perfect side dish for any cookout. Deep, layered flavor from smoked paprika, chipotle, and crispy bacon, all simmered together for a sticky, sweet, and savory finish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cans (15 ounces each) navy beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or 1 chipotle pepper in adobo, minced)
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 cup water (or chicken broth)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Place a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat.
  2. Add the bacon pieces to the cold pot, then turn the heat to medium. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crispy and the fat is rendered. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
  3. Add the diced onion to the hot bacon fat. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Add the ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, smoked paprika, chipotle powder, black pepper, and salt. Stir together and let bubble gently for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  5. Pour in the drained navy beans and pinto beans, along with the water (or chicken broth). Stir until all the beans are coated. Add the cooked bacon back to the pot, reserving a handful for topping if desired.
  6. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer (about 3 to 5 minutes).
  7. Cover the Dutch oven with its lid (or tightly with foil) and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the lid and bake for another 30 to 45 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the beans are tender.
  8. Remove the pot from the oven and let the beans rest for 10 minutes before serving. If you reserved some crispy bacon, sprinkle it on top right before serving.

Notes

Don’t rush the uncovered baking time—that’s when the sauce thickens and flavors concentrate. Let the beans rest before serving for best texture. Leftovers improve overnight.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, BBQ beans, smoky beans, bacon beans, homemade baked beans, side dish, cookout, game day

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/smoky-bbq-baked-beans-with-bacon-easy-homemade-recipe/