BBQ Baked Beans Recipe

Soak the beans

Place dried pinto beans in a large bowl and cover with 6 cups of cold water. Soak 6–8 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking.

Initial cook

Place soaked and drained beans in a large pot. Add enough fresh water to cover by about 2 inches (approximately 6 cups), add the bay leaf and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender but not falling apart, about 45–60 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Prepare the pork

While beans cook, season pork shoulder pieces with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear pork in batches until browned on all sides, about 4–6 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pork to a plate.

Combine the tomato sauce, ketchup, 1 cup brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, 1 tsp hot sauce and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity (add more brown sugar or 1–2 tsp vinegar) to achieve a balanced sweet-smoky-tangy profile.

Sauté aromatics

In the same skillet used for pork, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté until translucent and beginning to caramelize, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Combine and simmer

Add the seared pork back to the skillet with the onions. Pour in the prepared Treehouse BBQ sauce and 1 cup broth, stirring to combine. Bring to a simmer, then add the cooked drained beans and 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid as needed to reach a thick stew-like consistency. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Bake to meld flavors

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Transfer the bean, pork and sauce mixture to a large ovenproof casserole or Dutch oven. Cover and bake until pork is very tender and flavors are melded, about 45–60 minutes. Uncover for the last 10–15 minutes if you want a slightly thicker, caramelized top. If mixture becomes too dry, stir in a few tablespoons of reserved bean liquid or broth.

Finish

Remove from oven. Stir in optional 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp apple cider vinegar if you want an extra sweet-tang balance. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.