Description
Hearty brown sugar and bacon baked beans showcase a classic American side dish with deep southern comfort. Savory bacon and sweet molasses create a rich, smoky flavor profile you’ll crave at summer cookouts and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 5–6 slices thick (center-cut bacon)
- 2 28 oz cans plain pork n’ beans
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- A few drops liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
- Create a robust sauce by whisking together ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Liquid Smoke, garlic powder, and pepper in a medium bowl until completely integrated and smooth.
- Drain excess liquid from pork n’ beans, carefully preserving the beans’ structural integrity. Gently fold the beans into the prepared sauce, ensuring complete and even coating without mashing.
- Distribute the sauced beans uniformly into a shallow 2-quart baking dish, creating a level surface for consistent heat distribution.
- Transform bacon slices into half-inch pieces, strategically positioning them atop the bean mixture. Slightly crinkle each bacon fragment to maximize potential crispiness during baking.
- Position the uncovered dish in a preheated 350°F oven. Bake for 1 to 1.5 hours, monitoring until beans become effervescent and bacon transforms into a crisp, golden-brown topping.
Notes
- Drain beans thoroughly to prevent watery texture and ensure rich, concentrated flavor.
- Crumple bacon pieces strategically for maximum crispiness and better texture coverage across the dish.
- Experiment with different bacon types like applewood-smoked or pepper-crusted for unique flavor variations.
- Consider reducing sugar for healthier version or using sugar substitutes like monk fruit sweetener for low-carb diets.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 333 kcal
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 870 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg