Description
Classic baked beans slow-cooked with a savory and sweet sauce, perfect as a side dish for barbecues or comfort meals.
Ingredients
- 2 cups navy beans, dried
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups water (for soaking and cooking)
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 strips bacon, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the navy beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse them before cooking.
- Place soaked beans in a pot with fresh water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or until tender. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
- In a skillet, cook chopped bacon until crisp (if using). Add diced onion and garlic, sauté until softened.
- In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, combine cooked beans, sautéed onion and garlic (and bacon), ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- Add enough water to just cover the beans and mix well.
- Cover and bake for 2–3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding water as needed to keep beans moist.
- Uncover in the last 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve warm.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon.
- Canned beans can be used to save time; reduce cooking time accordingly.
- Adjust sweetness or tanginess by varying sugar or vinegar amounts.