Bbq Baked Beans Recipe

Soak beans (if using dried)

Rinse 2 cups dried navy beans under cold water. For quick soak: place beans in a large pot, cover with 6 cups water, bring to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let sit 1 hour. For overnight soak: cover with water by 2 inches and refrigerate 6–8 hours. Drain and rinse after soaking.

Cook beans

Place soaked, drained beans in a large pot, add 6 cups fresh water and 1 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat and simmer partially covered until beans are tender but not falling apart, 45–60 minutes. Check for doneness and add more water if needed. Drain, reserving 1–1.5 cups cooking liquid (or use stock). If you prefer, you can use two 15-oz cans of cooked beans as a shortcut — drain and reserve 1/2 cup liquid.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). In a heavy skillet over medium heat, add diced bacon and cook until fat renders and bacon is crisp-tender, 6–8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving rendered fat in the pan. If you prefer vegetarian, discard bacon and add 1 tbsp olive oil instead.

Add the finely diced onion to the hot bacon fat (or olive oil) and sauté over medium heat until translucent and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato paste (3 tbsp), 1 cup ketchup, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 tbsp molasses, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp liquid smoke (if using), 1 tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp cayenne (optional). Taste and adjust sweetness, acidity, or heat as desired.

Combine sauce and aromatics: Stir the sauce into the skillet with the sautéed onion and garlic, heat gently for 1–2 minutes to meld flavors.

In a 3-quart ovenproof baking dish or Dutch oven, add the cooked drained beans. Pour the sauce-onion mixture over the beans. Add the reserved bean cooking liquid or up to 1 cup stock a little at a time to reach a saucy but not soupy consistency. Stir in the cooked bacon (reserve a tablespoon for garnish if desired). Taste and adjust salt and pepper. The mixture should be saucy and slightly loose; it will thicken during baking.

Cover the dish tightly with foil or a lid. Bake in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 1 hour. Uncover, gently stir, and continue baking 30–45 minutes more, basting once or twice, until sauce is thickened and beans are tender and glossy. If the top is drying too quickly, loosely cover again.

For a caramelized top (optional), remove cover during the last 10–15 minutes and increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) for a short time, watching carefully so sugars do not burn.

Remove from oven and let the beans rest 10 minutes to thicken. Stir in chopped fresh parsley if using and sprinkle reserved crisp bacon on top. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm as a side for grilled meats, pulled pork, or as a hearty vegetarian main when made without bacon. Leftovers keep well refrigerated up to 4 days and reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of stock if too thick.