A Chef's Spectacular Summer Baked Beans Recipe With Bacon & Barbecue Sauce Side Dishes Vegetables Grilling

Summer is the perfect time for potlucks, barbecues, cookouts and family get-togethers. Holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day and July 4th make it easy to celebrate with special summer side dishes. In my opinion, you can't go wrong making and taking a pot of baked beans to any summer event!

Here is your shopping list for this summer baked beans recipe: smoked bacon, onion, great northern beans, tomato sauce, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and ground cayenne pepper. These baked beans are the perfect addition to any grilled meal.

Whip up a simple homemade barbecue sauce, then slowly bake it all together for a rich, sweet crave-able dish of savory perfection. You’re going to love these homemade baked beans that are smoky, sweet and totally irresistible!

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Cuisine: American
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours
Total time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Servings: 10 to 12

Ingredients

• 1 pound (16 ounces) smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, diced small
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) great northern beans, rinsed well and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Helpful Products 

• Salt and Pepper
• Dutch Oven
• Cast Iron Pans

Recipe Notes

• I use canned beans to keep things simplified and quick.

• If the beans are too thick, thin with a bit of warm water. To thicken up the beans, continue cooking a little longer.

Here's how to make it: 

1. Cook bacon pieces in a large 14-inch cast iron pan, Dutch oven or your favorite 4- to 6-quart ovenproof pot over medium heat until browned. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Remove bacon and set aside. Add onion and sauté on low heat until caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and black pepper. Stir until everything is combined.
3. Add the beans to the pan and gently stir. Place in the preheated 350-degree F oven and bake the beans for 60 to 75 minutes, stirring once at 30 minutes and again at 60 minutes. Remove when cooked to your favorite consistency. 

Recipe cooking times and servings are approximate. Need to convert cooking and baking measurements? Here are some kitchen conversion charts. Here's how to submit your recipes to 30Seconds.

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