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Savory Baked Beans with Brown Sugar and Crispy Bacon

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A quick and easy baked beans recipe sweetened with brown sugar and topped with crispy bacon, perfect for potlucks, BBQs, or comforting weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) navy beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) water or bean liquid

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the 8 slices of thick-cut bacon until crispy, about 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet.
  4. In the same skillet with bacon fat, add the finely chopped onion and cook until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained beans, cooked onion and garlic, brown sugar, ketchup, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, black pepper, salt, and 1/2 cup water or bean liquid. Stir gently but thoroughly to combine all flavors.
  6. Stir in two-thirds of the crispy bacon pieces, reserving the rest for topping later.
  7. Pour the mixture into an oven-safe baking dish, spreading it evenly.
  8. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
  9. During the last 5 minutes of baking, sprinkle the reserved bacon pieces on top to crisp up.
  10. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

If beans seem dry during baking, add a splash of water or broth halfway through. Avoid stirring after baking starts to keep the crispy bacon topping intact. For a vegetarian version, omit bacon and use smoked paprika or liquid smoke with olive oil to sauté onions.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, brown sugar, crispy bacon, comfort food, potluck recipe, BBQ side dish, easy dinner

Find it online: https://fuzzyforker.com/savory-baked-beans-with-brown-sugar-and-crispy-bacon-easy-recipe-for-perfect-flavor/