If you think baked beans only come from a can, you’re in for a treat. Bacon, molasses and bourbon add depth and flavor to our classic recipe that’s perfectly spiced with paprika, mustard and Worcestershire. A bit of brown sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness and to keep things easy, the beans require no soaking! They get tender and delicious right in the oven.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 5 hr |
| Active: | 1 hr |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound dried navy beans, picked through
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the paprika and toast, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, molasses, bourbon, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
- Add the beans and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake until the beans are tender, about 3 hours. (If the beans are still slightly firm, continue cooking, stirring every 45 minutes and adding more water if necessary to just cover.)
- Once the beans are tender, uncover and increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until the beans are thick and browned, about 1 more hour. (Again, if the beans need more time, continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary.) Remove from the oven and thin with water if necessary.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 8 servings |
| Calories | 401 |
| Total Fat | 12 g |
| Saturated Fat | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Protein | 17 g |
| Cholesterol | 19 mg |
| Sodium | 376 mg |
Reviews
Always a crowd pleaser! So good!
I made this according to the recipe, except I used smoked paprika instead of sweet, and I added about two tablespoons of sun-dried tomato powder. When I make it again, I will use another teaspoon of paprika, at least one more tablespoon of brown sugar, and maybe a little more molasses. We tend to like a little more sweetness and complexity of flavor (hence the tomato powder.)
In answer to the question about if the beans were gassy you need to get an Amish bean spoon. It’s a wooden spoon that handle is split and ladder bars are added you put the spoon in the Dutch oven while the beans are cooking, the little farts climb the ladder and go over the top. As always the first time I make a new recipe I follow the recipe as close as I can My family enjoyed it just as written next time I might add more bacon and onions but only because I like onions and everything is better with bacon.
So rich and yummy. My husband loves beans and wieners and this recipe makes them “top shelf”
Good basic recipe, but like many others here I think it needs more seasoning. Instead of adding more bacon, I added salt, vinegar, honey and a few drops of liquid smoke after the beans had been in the oven three hours. I soaked my beans overnight and they were very tender after three hours. Decreased water to six cups due to the pre soak.
Made a couple of adjustments, and I already had soaked my beans overnight when I decided this is the recipe I would try. They were excellent but they took just about 6 hours to cook, even having soaked the beans.
Great for Sunday picnics, tailgating or BBQ. I decreased the water to six cups, and used Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey in place of Bourbon. I didn’t have any Navy beans so I used Great Northern beans soaked overnight and rinsed. I also used 12 ounces of bacon.
Made enough for the entire crowd of 15 here, with nothing left over. Can you say yum?
Next time, I’ll triple the recipe to have left overs for a few days.
Truly are the best! I usually use closer to 12 oz bacon, & a swig of bourbon while I put it together. Perfect!
I make this recipe a lot, and follow as is typically. It usually takes longer to cook to get the beans soft, but it’s worth it.
Quality of ingredients is important. I used good apple smoked thick bacon. I used smoked paprika.