Summer BBQ Baked Beans (Printable)

Tender beans baked with brown sugar, smoky bacon, and spices for a savory summer side.

# What You Need:

→ Beans and Main Components

01 - 4 cups canned navy beans, drained and rinsed
02 - 8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, finely diced

→ Sauce

05 - 3/4 cup ketchup
06 - 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
07 - 1/4 cup molasses
08 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
09 - 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
10 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

# Directions:

01 - Set oven to 350°F.
02 - In a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside, reserving approximately 2 tablespoons bacon fat in pan.
03 - Add diced onion and green bell pepper to bacon fat. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
04 - Stir in drained beans, cooked bacon, and all sauce ingredients. Mix thoroughly until fully combined.
05 - Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat immediately.
06 - If using non-oven-safe pan, transfer mixture to baking dish. Top with reserved bacon.
07 - Bake uncovered for 1 hour until beans bubble vigorously and sauce reduces and thickens.
08 - Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bacon makes everything taste like someone who actually knows what they're doing is in the kitchen with you.
  • It comes together in under 15 minutes of active work, then the oven does the heavy lifting while you socialize.
  • People always assume it's more complicated than it actually is, which is honestly the best kind of compliment.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step with canned beans—that cloudy liquid is starch and sodium that will make your sauce taste flat and one-dimensional.
  • The sauce will look thinner than you expect when it goes into the oven, but those 60 minutes at 350°F will reduce it into something thick and clingy that coats each bean perfectly.
03 -
  • Toast your spices separately in a dry pan for 30 seconds before mixing into the sauce—it deepens their flavor and makes you taste the difference immediately.
  • If you want vegetarian beans, swap the bacon for 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add an extra half-teaspoon of smoked paprika to compensate for the lost smokiness.
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