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Flavorful Baked Beans with Bacon and Maple Brown Sugar

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A simple yet delicious baked beans recipe featuring caramelized bacon and maple brown sugar, perfect for BBQs and cozy meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups dried navy beans (soaked overnight) or 4 cups canned navy beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup maple brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 3 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth

Instructions

  1. Prepare the beans: Rinse dried navy beans and soak in cold water overnight (8-12 hours). Drain and rinse before cooking. If using canned beans, drain and rinse to reduce sodium.
  2. Caramelize the bacon: Chop bacon into bite-sized pieces. Heat skillet over medium heat and cook bacon until edges are crisp and fat is rendered, about 8-10 minutes. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels, leaving the fat in the pan.
  3. Sauté aromatics: In the same skillet with bacon fat, add chopped onion and cook over medium heat until translucent and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  4. Combine ingredients in pot: Transfer sautéed onion, garlic, and bacon fat to a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add soaked or canned beans, caramelized bacon pieces (reserve some for garnish), tomato paste, maple brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine evenly.
  5. Add liquid and simmer: Pour in 3 cups water or chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low heat and cover. Simmer gently for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and sauce thickens. Add water if sauce thickens too much before beans are tender.
  6. Final seasoning and rest: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or more vinegar as needed. Let beans rest off heat for 10 minutes to deepen flavors before serving.

Notes

For vegetarian version, omit bacon and use smoked paprika with a splash of liquid smoke and vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Slow cooker adaptation: after caramelizing bacon and sautéing aromatics, combine all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Reserve some bacon for garnish to add texture and visual appeal. Adjust seasoning at the end to avoid over-salting. Use canned beans to save time but flavor is best with dried beans.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, bacon, maple brown sugar, BBQ side dish, navy beans, caramelized bacon, easy baked beans, smoky baked beans

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/flavorful-baked-beans-with-bacon-and-maple-brown-sugar-recipe-easy-and-perfect-for-bbqs/