Southern Baked Beans

Last weekend, my husband Jim and I were watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay on Food Network.  We happened upon a North Carolina BBQ episode and I thought the baked beans looked amazing.  I was super thrilled when I looked up the recipe and discovered how easy they were to make!!  Here is my take on Southern Baked Beans.  The original recipe can be found here.

You will need:

1/2 pound - bacon, minced
1 - medium onion, diced
3 tablespoons - minced garlic
1 teaspoon - ground ginger
1 - medium/large green pepper
2 teaspoons - mustard (I used honey mustard)
60 ounces - canned beans, drained
(I used 30 ounces of pinto beans, 15 ounces of kidney beans, and 15 ounces of great northern beans)
1 cup - BBQ sauce
1/2 cup - brown sugar
1/4 cup - molasses
1 cup - apple juice

Begin by cooking the bacon until crispy.  The goal is to have large sized bacon bits.  I sautéed my bacon in a frying pan and then cut it in to pieces on a cutting board.  I find this easier than cutting the bacon in pieces before cooking, however you can do whatever you like to cook the bacon!!

Drain the bacon grease from the frying pan and wipe out with a paper towel.  The goal is to eliminate most of the extra grease in the pan without completely getting ride of the bacon flavor. 

Add the onions, green peppers, garlic, and ginger to the frying pan and cook until soft.  Remember to stir occasionally to keep the garlic from scorching. The onions will begin to turn opaque and the green pepper will soften in texture.   

Add the mustard and stir for 1 minute.  I used honey mustard to add a little extra flavor!  Add the drained canned beans, BBQ sauce, molasses, brown sugar, and apple juice stirring until just combined.  For the canned beans you can use whatever you have on hand or combination that you enjoy.  I do suggest that you use 2 or 3 different types of beans as it adds to the deliciousness of the dish.  Add the bacon crumbles and mix to combine well. 

Transfer to a greased casserole dish.  Cover and bake at 350 degreed F for 1 hour - 1 1/2 hours depending on your desired consistency.  I prefer a softer bean with a slightly thicker sauce so I baked mine for 1 1/2 hours.  If the beans are not thickening to your likening, you can either bake them a little longer or uncover slightly.  Thankfully this baking process is highly dependent on how thick you like the sauce!

 

 

The beans can be served warm, cold, or reheated depending on your liking.  This is a perfect make ahead dish.  And, quite frankly, I think they taste better the second day!!

 

Thank you for reading!!

Jamie Rae