Recipe Background
BBQ baked beans combine smoky, sweet flavors with tender beans and hearty pork.
Pulling together a pot of BBQ baked beans means diving into a fragrant, smoky-sweet universe. The air fills with the rich aroma of smoked paprika and molasses, mingling with the savoriness of pork shoulder and bacon. Each spoonful delivers a delicate dance between the tang of apple cider vinegar and the gentle heat of cayenne pepper. It's a dish that invites you to savor the layers of flavor slowly, appreciating the tenderness of the beans and the meaty heartiness of the pork.
Balancing the simmer of beans and sauce, you'll find a rhythm that’s almost meditative. The secret to these luscious flavors? Carefully monitor the bacon as it bakes, allowing it to crisp just enough to contrast with the softness below. This simple touch transforms the entire experience, adding a textural surprise with each bite. The reduction process in the oven imbues each ingredient with a caramel-like depth that only comes from patient, low-and-slow cooking.
Sharing these beans around a table sends a gentle message of warmth and generosity. The act glues guests to their chairs, forks lazily reaching back for just one more helping. It's a communal dish, the kind that sparks conversations and reminiscences as each person discovers their own favorite nuance—be it the smoky kick or the hint of sweetness. With these beans, you're not just serving food; you're offering a true taste of comfort and connection.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried red beans
- 3 quarts cold water plus more, to taste, for soaking the beans
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder boneless, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
Directions
- In a large bowl, add the beans and cover with the extra water, and let soak for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
- Drain the beans and transfer them to a large pot filled with 3 quarts of the water.
- Add the bay leaf, the pork shoulder, and the onion to the beans and simmer over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, while stirring occasionally and skimming off the foam from the top, until the beans are just tender, about 1 hour.
- Reserve 2 1/2 cups of the bean cooking liquid.
- While the beans simmer, combine the barbecue sauce, the ketchup, the apple cider vinegar, the brown sugar, the molasses, the yellow mustard, the Worcestershire, the smoked paprika, the cayenne, the black pepper, the kosher salt, and the garlic powder in a bowl and whisk to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Transfer the bean mixture to a deep, 15x10-inch baking dish using a spider strainer.
- Pour the sauce mixture and the reserved bean cooking liquid over the bean mixture.
- Place the bacon slices on top of the baked bean mixture.
- Bake the baked beans until the liquids reduce to a thick sauce, about 2-3 hours.
- Serve.
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