Summer BBQ Baked Beans (Printable Version)

Tender beans baked in a sweet, smoky sauce with crispy bacon and brown sugar, perfect for warm-weather meals.

# What You'll 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, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - Set oven to 350°F (175°C).
02 - In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving approximately 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan.
03 - Add diced onion and green bell pepper to the pan. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent.
04 - Stir in drained beans, cooked bacon (reserve 2 tablespoons for topping), and all sauce ingredients. Mix until fully combined.
05 - Bring the mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat.
06 - If not using an oven-safe pan, transfer mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle reserved bacon over the top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 1 hour, until the beans are bubbling and the sauce has thickened.
08 - Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The bacon fat does half the flavor work for you, so you're not starting from scratch.
  • It actually gets better as it sits, making it perfect for prep-ahead entertaining.
  • One pan means cleanup is almost an afterthought compared to the compliments you'll get.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans; the starchy liquid will make your sauce taste chalky instead of silky.
  • The bacon fat left in the pan is not something to drain away—it's the secret to why this tastes restaurant-quality instead of like a casserole made from shelf-stable ingredients.
03 -
  • Pack your brown sugar firmly when measuring so you're actually getting the sweetness and depth the recipe intends.
  • If your sauce seems too thin after baking, you can always return the uncovered dish to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, but most home ovens run slightly hot so you might not need to.
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