Savory, yet sweet, baked beans make the perfect side dish for any gathering. From potlucks to barbecues to a fun pool party, baked beans are an essential part of any get-together. This comfort food is popular among adults and young kids alike. While many of us will simply purchase our favorite brand of canned baked beans and warm them up, others actually cook the beans from scratch and create magnificent baked beans that are better than any can that you can buy. There are many great twists that can be done to this great dish, such as adding in some molasses, making them with barbecue sauce, or adding in some flavorful meat such as ham, bacon, and pulled pork. If you are ready to make your own baked beans, here are 15 recipes that will help get you started.
1. Barbecue Baked Beans
What you need:
3 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped
An onion chopped
A clove of garlic, minced
A cup of beer
¼ of a cup of balsamic vinegar
¼ of a cup of molasses
¼ of a cup of brown sugar
¼ of a cup of dijon mustard
Tsp salt
Tsp pepper
3 fifteen ounce cans of beans, rinsed and drained. White, kidney, black, pinto, etc. will work.
A cup of water as needed
To make:
Preheat the smoker to 275 degrees. In a large pot that is safe for the oven, cook the bacon. Remove the bacon and discard all but about 2 tbsp of the fat. Add in the garlic and onions and cook until soft. Add in the beer and cook for about a minute. Add the tomato sauce, balsamic vinegar, molasses, brown sugar, dijon, beans, salt and pepper, and the cooked bacon. Mix until combined. Transfer the pan to the smoker and cook for an hour. If the beans start to dry out add in some water.