Brown Sugar and Bacon Baked Beans
These brown sugar and bacon baked beans are sweet, smoky, and tangy with a thick oven-baked sauce. They are an easy side dish for cookouts, potlucks, holidays, and family dinners.
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 2 cans 28 oz each pork and beans (or neutral baked beans), undrained
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Crisp Bacon: In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pan.
- Sauté Onions: Add the diced onion to the reserved bacon fat and cook until soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Make Sauce: Stir in the dark brown sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and mustard. Cook for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the mixture gently bubbles.
- Combine: Pour the undrained beans and the cooked bacon into the skillet. Stir gently to combine thoroughly.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes, or until the sauce is thick, bubbly, and caramelized on top. Let the beans stand for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce can fully set.
Notes
- Do not drain the pork and beans. Their liquid becomes part of the sauce.
- For less sweetness, reduce the brown sugar slightly and keep the mustard and apple cider vinegar.
- If the beans still look thin after 55 minutes, bake them uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- For the slow cooker, cook the bacon and onion first, then cook everything together on low for 4 to 5 hours or high for 2 to 3 hours.