Description
Comfort meets classic with Ultimate Baked Beans, a hearty dish that brings Southern charm straight to your dinner table. Slow-simmered with smoky bacon and a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors, these beans will have your family asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 28 oz can baked beans
- 6 slices bacon
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ red onion
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Garnish/Optional:
- Maple syrup (optional substitute for brown sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to a steady 350°F, ensuring the rack is positioned in the center for even heat distribution.
- Open the 28 oz can of Bush’s Original baked beans and pour them into a spacious casserole dish or cast iron pan.
- Chop the 6 cooked bacon slices into precise ¼ inch pieces, scattering them evenly across the beans.
- Dice the ½ red onion into small, uniform pieces and sprinkle throughout the mixture.
- Measure and add ¼ cup ketchup, creating a tangy base for the sauce.
- Pour ¼ cup yellow mustard into the dish, mixing it thoroughly with the existing ingredients.
- Incorporate ¼ cup brown sugar, stirring carefully to dissolve and distribute the sweetness.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons molasses, ensuring it blends seamlessly with the other components.
- Mix in 2 tablespoons minced garlic, releasing its aromatic qualities into the bean mixture.
- Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce for depth of flavor, stirring until all ingredients are completely combined.
- Place the uncovered dish into the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour, gently stirring halfway through to maintain consistent flavor.
- Remove from the oven when the beans are bubbling and slightly caramelized around the edges.
- Let the beans rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to settle and intensify.
Notes
- Add thick-cut bacon for extra smoky flavor and richness that takes these beans to another level.
- Soak dried beans overnight to reduce cooking time and improve texture if not using canned beans.
- For a vegetarian version, swap bacon with smoked paprika and use vegetable broth instead of meat-based stock.
- Adjust sweetness by balancing molasses and brown sugar to match your personal taste preference.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour (oven) or 4 hours (slow cooker high) or 8 hours (slow cooker low)
- Category: Baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg