There’s nothing like a pan of slow cooked baked beans. Every family has its very personal take on what makes the perfect baked beans, not unlike the family meatloaf recipe or the spaghetti sauce recipe. Other than a few basics, there’s really no wrong way to do this. In fact, this dish is a very subjective recipe – it’s all about your personal tastes and preferences. Some like sweet, some like spicy, some like thick and some like more liquid. This is the way I make baked beans and it suits our family. I must be doing something right because I am frequently assigned to bring the baked beans to our family events. Enjoy!

To make an 8 x 8 pan of baked beans use the following amounts. When making for my big family gatherings, I make these by the gallon.

INGREDIENTS:

4, 15 oz. cans pork and beans ( if you like your baked beans thicker, drain part of the juice from each can, but be careful not to drain all of it or your beans will be dry)
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup dried minced onion
1/8 cup dried minced green pepper
(If using fresh onion and green pepper, increase amount to 1/4 cup each)
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 cup BBQ sauce of your choice (I like using Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey Chipotle if I’m making chicken or turkey and Sweet Baby Ray’s Sweet and Spicy if I’m serving beef or pork)
2 slices thick cut bacon, cut in half

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix together all ingredients except the bacon in an 8 x 8 baking dish. Lay bacon over the top. Bake in a slow oven, about 300 degrees, for about 2.5 to 3 hours. Baking these low and slow is the key to achieving lovely thick baked beans. You can also put these on your smoker alongside your meat selections to slow cook. The smoky flavor is an added bonus.