Baked Beans

Intro and Overview

Typically, when we have baked beans at home, I open a can, heat them in a saucepan for a few minutes, and we are good to go. When I am in charge of the side dishes for a family gathering, however, I gotta step up my game. After a quick Google, I happened across “The Best Baked Beans Ever” by Ree Drummond, aka. The Pioneer Woman. This past weekend, not only did I bring the beans, but I also brought my best coleslaw ever. I am no longer known strictly for my desserts. Now I am the side dish bringer as well.

It should be noted that when buying canned goods, not all brands use the same size cans. Ree’s recipe called for 3 twenty-eight-ounce cans, totaling 84 ounces. The Ranch Style brand of beans, which we prefer, comes in 26-ounce cans, totaling 78 ounces.

Stuff You Need…

• 8 Slices Bacon, sliced into fourths
• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 3 (26 oz.) Cans Ranch Style Beans, not drained
• 3/4 Cup Stubb’s Original B-B-Q Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsps. Dijon Mustard

And Then…

Adjust oven rack to the second-from-the-bottom position and preheat to 325 degrees.

Partially fry bacon pieces in a large skillet or deep saucepan. Remove the bacon, then sauté the onions in the bacon drippings. 

Mix b-b-q-sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl. Add beans and the mixture to the onions. Stir to incorporate and bring to a simmer. 

Pour the bean mixture into a greased 13-by-9 inch baking dish. Top with the bacon pieces and bake until bubbly, and the sauce has thickened, about 2 hours. 

Consider draining one can of beans, as three undrained cans remained soupy after two hours. Also consider swapping one or two cans of regular Ranch Style beans for Ranch Style beans with jalapenos.