This Is the Greatest Recipe for Homemade Baked Beans (2024)

Whoa, Nelly. I never knew baked beans could be this good. I never knew baked beans could be improved upon. I never knew baked beans could be such a triumph, such a prayer, such a song.

But they can. I now know they can.

Pam Anderson—I sometimes like to call her "Pamanderson" just to conserve energy—whipped up some baked beans to go with her fall-off-the-bone slow cooker glazed ribs and Caesar salad once.

The beans? They were all that and a bag of doughnuts. And I live in one of the Southern states. I know about baked beans. I know about doughnuts, too. But that's another story for another time.

What makes these the best baked beans ever?

First and foremost, these baked beans are easy to make. They start with 3 big ol' cans of pork and beans, but it's the other ingredients you add that transforms them! That brings me to my next point: the other stuff. This recipe is filled with tangy barbecue sauce, sweet brown sugar, mustard for a kick, green pepper, onion, and maybe (definitely) the best addition of all—bacon! The beans are topped with strips of partially-cooked bacon, and baked low and slow until the bacon gets a little crispy and the beans thicken. The result is baked beans that are smoky, sweet, tangy, and absolutely unforgettable! You'll never make them any other way.

Can these baked beans be made ahead of time?

They can be made the night before, but wait until you're ready to bake the beans to add the bacon on top to ensure optimum crispness.

What pairs well with baked beans?

Baked beans are one of the best BBQ recipes! Make them for all the patriotic holidays this summer alongsidegrilled ribs, BBQ chicken, andburgers. Add a few other classic BBQ sides (this potato salad is so delicious!) and you're set!

This Quick Southern-Style Baked Beans recipe is by Pam Anderson.

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Yields:
18
Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
2 hrs
Total Time:
2 hrs 25 mins

Ingredients

  • 8

    slices bacon, halved

  • 1

    medium onion, chopped

  • 1/2

    medium green pepper, chopped

  • 3

    28-oz.cans pork and beans

  • 3/4 c.

    barbecue sauce

  • 1/2 c.

    brown sugar

  • 1/4 c.

    distilled or cider vinegar

  • 2 tsp.

    dry mustard or 2 tbsp. Dijon

Directions

    1. Step1Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325°.
    2. Step2Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels.
    3. Step3Add onion and pepper to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
    4. Step4Add beans and remaining ingredients to pan; bring to a simmer. (If pan is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients).
    5. Step5Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by-9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.

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Start with eight slices of bacon. The thick stuff is great. The thick, peppered stuff is even better.

Cut the slices in half, then fry them on medium-low heat. You don’t want to brown or crisp the bacon at all; the point is only to render the fat and get the bacon pieces ready to bake up and turn brown in the oven.

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Remove the bacon pieces once the fat is rendered, and in the name of all that is good and right, do NOT pour out the grease and clean the skillet! If you do, you’ll regret it for the rest of your days.

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Next, dice up an onion…

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And a green bell pepper.

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First cut it into strips…

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Then dice it right up.

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Next, measure 3/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce.

Pour it into a bowl…

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And throw in 1/2 cup brown sugar.

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Add 1/4 cup distilled white or apple cider vinegar.

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Finally, add a couple of tablespoons Dijon mustard and mix the whole thing together.

Yummy!

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Now. Back to the skillet. You can pour off a little of the excess grease, but leave some in there for good measure.

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Put the skillet over medium heat, then throw in the onions and green peppers.

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Stir ’em around and cook ’em for a few minutes, or until tender.

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Then, pour in three cans of good ol’ pork ‘n beans. They’re the best beans for making baked beans. Everyone who’s anyone knows that!

I’ve made baked beans from scratch before—soaked the navy beans and everything. They just weren’t as good as the ones made with pork ‘n beans.

Does that make me a bad person?

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Stir it together, then pour in the barbecue sauce/brown sugar mixture.

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Bring this all to a simmer. And I think if you like things spicy, you could easily add in some chopped fresh jalapeño to the onion/green pepper mixture. That would give these some serious kick.

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Then pour it into a large casserole pan.

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Finally, put the half-cooked bacon slices all over the top. Since the fat has already been rendered from these, they’re going to cook up really nicely in the oven… and there won’t be that big layer of grease standing on top of the beans.

Not that I’ve ever minded that big layer of grease.

I’ve never minded bacon grease in my life.

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Now, here’s the key: bake this low and slow—325 degrees for two hours. You want the beans to be very, very cooked, the bacon very, very brown, and no soupiness to the dish whatsoever.

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You won't believe how delicious these are.

Labor Day: make these baked beans! I'm a serious baked bean fan, and I couldn’t get enough of these. They were absolutely perfect.

Thank you, Pamanderson. You cook reeeeel goooood. Has anyone ever told you that?

Enjoy, everyone!

This Is the Greatest Recipe for Homemade Baked Beans (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to soft baked beans? ›

soak them about 20 hours. Depending on how much water they soak up you may add more halfway through - if you set them soaking in the early evening, check them in the morning. drain, rinse, and then boil for about two hours, checking to see if they are soft.

What does adding vinegar to baked beans do? ›

Cider vinegar added at the end balances the flavor profile. It's important not to add vinegar until the end so as to maintain the mixture's pH balance throughout the cooking process.

How to make baked beans more interesting? ›

Stir through your favourite chilli sauce, crushed chilli flakes or sliced red chilli for a spicy kick, add a few spoonfuls of barbecue sauce for a sweet, smoky finish, or try a little bit of Worcestershire sauce and horseradish for some bloody Mary flavour.

What are the ingredients in original baked beans? ›

Ingredients. Cooked Pea Beans (Water, Pea Beans), Sugar, Molasses, Salt, Modified Corn Starch, Pork Fat, Seasoning Blend (Dried Onion, Dextrose, Dried Garlic, Spices, Natural Flavors), Mustard.

Why are my baked beans always hard? ›

Even if they were before their expiry date, if your storage area/pantry gets very hot, it could have affected the beans. Lastly, do make sure that you did soak the beans sufficiently (some require 12 hours). And then, make sure that you did cook them long enough after proper soaking (some take 3 or 4 hours).

How to pimp up baked beans? ›

One idea is to add marmite (trust me, it's lovely if you like marmite). You can also spice up you're your baked beans by adding a teaspoon of your favourite spice, for example smoked paprika, cumin or chilli powder if your feeling adventurous.

How do you make homemade beans taste better? ›

Season the beans to taste with more salt (I typically add ½ to 1 additional teaspoon), more pepper, and chili powder, if desired. Garnish with cilantro, if using.

How much baking soda do I add to my beans to prevent gas? ›

To degas with baking soda, add a teaspoon of baking soda to 4 quarts of water. Stir in the dried beans and bring to a boil. Then turn off the heat and let the beans soak at least four hours (I usually do this the night before I want to use them; the longer soak won't hurt them). Drain, rinse and rinse again.

Why do you add baking soda to baked beans? ›

If beans make you uncomfortably gassy, sprinkle a little baking soda into their soaking water. It will reduce the volume of gas produced by the legumes, plus, they will cook quicker. If you're even shorter on time, you may want to try some of our favorite recipes to make with a can of black beans.

What to add to bush's baked beans? ›

Extra protein: Add diced ham, cooked ground beef, or shredded chicken to the baked beans for an extra boost of protein. Additional vegetables: Include diced green bell pepper, onions, or mushrooms to the recipe for added texture and flavor. Tangy: Replace yellow mustard with Dijon, whole-grain mustard, or dry mustard.

What makes Bush's baked beans so good? ›

The beans that are met with smiles at any gathering. Bush's® Original Baked Beans are a Secret Family Recipe of navy beans slow-cooked with specially cured bacon, fine brown sugar and our signature blend of spices.

Why do my baked beans taste bland? ›

Overcooking can detract from the eating experience, leaving your beans bland and lifeless. Undercooking beans, on the other hand, can put yourself at risk of food-borne illness. This is especially true for red beans like kidney beans.

How to add flavor to baked beans? ›

Cook up beef sausages with onion to create a super-flavorful base for your dressed up baked beans. Upgrade #3: All of the condiments! Maple syrup, molasses, ketchup, vinegar, mustard—basically throw every sweet, salty, tangy condiment you've got at those canned baked beans and you know they're going to taste delicious.

What is the difference between Bush's homestyle and original baked beans? ›

Our Homestyle Baked Beans are deliciously tomato-based—which makes them a bit tangier than the original—with brown sugar, bold spices and a specially cured bacon.

What can I add to canned baked beans to make them better? ›

Stir together baked beans, onion, syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard in a large bowl. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Lay bacon slices across the top. Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is browned and the beans have thickened, 35 to 40 minutes.

How to make beans soft easily? ›

Hot soaking is the preferred method since it reduces cooking time, helps dissolve some of the gas-causing substances in beans, and most consistently produces tender beans. Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans.

How do you make homemade beans softer? ›

The addition of baking soda to the cooking water does two things: It adds sodium ions that weaken the pectin as explained above, and more importantly, an alkaline environment causes the pectin molecules to break down into smaller molecules that greatly weakens the pectin causing the beans to soften much more rapidly.

How do you soften beans that won't soften? ›

I usually soak the beans overnight, wash them and then depending on the type of bean simmer for 2 or more hours. One can speed this up by bring the beans in a pot of water to a boil and then let them soak in the hot water. They will hydrate in a few hours then wash and cook until done usually a few hours.

What softens beans quickly? ›

Baking soda can also work wonders in helping to make beans soften faster when it is being cooked as adding a little amount of soda to the beans being cooked helps to soften the beans.

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