Baked Beans + Thick Cut Bacon

Baked Beans + Thick Cut Bacon is a wonderfully indulgent way to impress your guests with some delicious homemade baked beans!

Ummmmm…. yummy.  Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.   Have you ever gotten to that point in your life, as you buy your 100th can of baked beans of the year, and find yourself wondering “Is this as good as it gets?  What do really GOOD baked beans taste like?  How in the what do you make these?”  If so, (and let’s be honest, we’ve all been there) I have the recipe for you.

I feel like coleslaw and baked beans are two “go-to” side items for every get-together.  They are staples.  They are often…. forgotten.  Everyone takes a little of each, but either doesn’t end up eating them or takes a bite and moves on.  Basically, people feel obligated to eat them.  I took one step in changing that stereotype with the Creamy Purple Cabbage Coleslaw with Cilantro and Anaheim Peppers.  I am taking it the rest of the way here.  These beans are fan-flipping-tastic and are impossible to forget. Promise.  So whether you are headed to a fall cookout, having a Sunday Funday at your house or are getting ready to watch some football with your buddies – this is for you.

Be better than store-bought, canned baked beans.

Wait.  Did I mention there is bacon involved?  I should have led with that….

Thick-cut bacon.  You will need about 7-9 pieces ( I may have intentionally cooked 10… just to have an extra piece to eat…).

Don’t cook it quite all the way – just until it has started to render, but is still fairly soft.

Remove bacon and keep 2 Tablespoons of grease in the pan (more if you are feeling rebellious ….)  – add onions, garlic and green pepper and saute until they cook down a bit.

Combine onion mixture with your cans of pork and beans.  Cut up 3 slices of bacon into large chunks and stir those in as well.

Stir.

Place remaining bacon strips on top and place in the oven at 325 for 2-3 hours.

So amazing!

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Love,

E

Baked Beans + Thick Cut Bacon

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Erin - The Wooden Skillet [adapted from The Pioneer Woman's Baked Beans]
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
• Total Time: 2 hours 55 mins
• Yield: 6 servings

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Ingredients

• 3 cans pork and beans
• 7-9 slices of thick-cut bacon
• 1 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1 small/medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 Teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (I would recommend a smoky-flavored one)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 Teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard
• 1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard
• 1 Teaspoon smoked garlic powder

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Instructions

1. In skillet, cook bacon in batches, cooking until some fat has rendered and bacon is partially cooked.
2. Remove bacon and let rest on plate.
3. Keep grease in pan, unless there are excessive amounts. If there is a ton of grease, pour some out, but keep 2-4 Tablespoons in the pan.
4. Add garlic, onion and green pepper to the pan.
5. Saute in grease on medium-high, stirring, until cooked down and onion becomes translucent.
6. Take 3 slices of bacon and cut into 1-inch chunks.
7. In Dutch oven or other oven-proof pan, combine beans, onion mixture, bacon chunks and remaining ingredients.
8. Stir.
9. Place remaining bacon on top of beans and place in the oven.
10. Cook at 325 for 2-3 hours.
11. If you want a more charred look and/or less runny beans, increase temp to 350-375 for last 20-30 minutes.

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