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Savory Brown Sugar Bourbon Baked Beans Recipe with Smoky Bacon

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A quick and easy baked beans recipe featuring smoky bacon, brown sugar, and a splash of bourbon for a rich, sweet-savory flavor perfect for BBQs and gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup dry navy beans (or 2 cans navy beans, drained and rinsed)
  • 6 ounces thick-cut smoky bacon, chopped
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup bourbon (good quality, e.g., Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free if needed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon)

Instructions

  1. If using dried navy beans, rinse well and soak overnight in plenty of cold water. Drain and rinse again before cooking. If using canned beans, drain and rinse thoroughly.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crisp and fat is rendered, about 7–8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving bacon fat in the pot.
  3. Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the bacon fat. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in soaked beans, 2 cups water, ketchup, bourbon, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well.
  5. Add smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, black pepper, and salt to taste. Hold some salt back to adjust later.
  6. Bring mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer gently for 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water if needed to maintain liquid level.
  7. After simmering, beans should be tender and sauce thick and glossy. Stir in reserved crispy bacon pieces. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper, or vinegar if desired.
  8. Let beans rest covered off heat for 10 minutes before serving to meld flavors and thicken sauce.

Notes

For thicker sauce, uncover pot during last 15 minutes of cooking to reduce liquids. Soaking dried beans overnight improves texture and reduces cooking time. Use good quality bourbon for best flavor. For vegetarian version, omit bacon and add smoked paprika or liquid smoke and sautéed mushrooms. Slow cooker method: after browning bacon and sautéing onions, transfer all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, bourbon baked beans, smoky bacon, brown sugar, BBQ side dish, easy baked beans, comfort food

Find it online: https://evabake.com/savory-brown-sugar-bourbon-baked-beans-recipe-with-smoky-bacon-easy-and-perfect-for-bbqs/