Baked Beans

It’s summer! A perfect time for my son’s recipe for simple Baked Beans. This is my go-to recipe for barbecues and potlucks, and it’s always a hit. It’s very flexible, so feel free to make it your own. Adjust the level of spiciness to your taste. Use the beans your family will eat. It makes a small batch which is great for a dinner at home, but can easily be doubled or tripled for a larger group. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • ¾ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup apple juice
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 Tablespoons molasses
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon hot sauce (your favorite)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 cans (16 oz each) different beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 300F.
  2. In large oven-proof skillet or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove bacon from pan and set aside. Leave grease in pan.
  3. Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook until edges begin to brown. Stir in jalapeno and garlic; cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and the cooked bacon. Bring to a simmer and stir in the beans.
  4. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and cook, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about
    45-50 minutes.