No Southern BBQ is complete without baked beans! Beef, peppers, onions, and a dose of Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce provide a terrific complement for smoked meats.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 30 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 15 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 3/4 cups ketchup
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted, 4 oz
- 1 1/4 cups Water
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 large red onion
- 1/2 green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2/3 pound ground beef, preferably 80% lean
- 48 ounces canned, unseasoned “pork and beans,” drained, pinto beans with pork
- 2 cups Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce, from Step 1
Instructions
- Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce: In a saucepan, combine the dry ingredients and mix well to break up any lumps. Add ketchup, melted butter, water, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer, stirring the entire time until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes. (Keeping the heat low helps prevent the butter from separating and the sugar from burning.)
- Sauce is done when it thinly coats a spoon and has reduced by about ⅓. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. (It will keep for months, thanks to the vinegar.) Makes about 3 cups of Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce.
- Prepare the vegetables and beef: Trim onion and pepper, then cut into chunks. Dice using a vegetable chopper, or use a knife to small dice (¼-inch pieces). Heat oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and pepper until softened, 6–8 minutes. Add ground beef, stir to break up meat, and continue cooking until meat is no longer pink, 6–8 minutes. Drain fat from skillet and set ground beef mixture aside.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, add ground beef mixture and Sweet BBQ Pit Sauce to the drained beans; stir to combine. Place in a 13×9-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake until brown and bubbly, 20–30 minutes. (Alternatively, a thermometer placed into the center of the beans should register 160 F.)
- Remove dish from oven and remove foil. Stir and serve. Note: This is a great dish to make ahead of time. Vegetable-beef mixture can be cooked and refrigerated up to two days in advance. On the day of serving, simply mix bean ingredients (Pitmaster Jones calls this a “bean set”) and bake as directed. Since you’re reheating meat, use a digital thermometer to make sure the beans reach 160-165 F for safe consumption.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 26 servings |
| Calories | 361 |
| Total Fat | 7 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 62 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 28 g |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 18 mg |
| Sodium | 341 mg |
Reviews
These are the best baked beans you will ever eat! I have the pleasure of living close to Sam Jones BBQ and I am a “frequent flyer” for sure but it’s so nice to be able to try to recreate this awesome recipe at home. Sam Jones does it better but mine turned out pretty good!
Amazing recipe, was a hit on 4th of July with a few of my friends. Made it again for Labor Day. I actually loved jarring the sauce and reused it on ribs. Delicious