Delicious and easy smoked baked beans recipe - perfect for your next BBQ. Learn how to add a smoky twist to this classic dish.
Course
Main Course, Side Dish
Prep Time12hours
Cook Time3hours
Servings8
Ingredients
For the Beans:
1pounddried navy beans
Water for soaking
6cupswater for cooking
1teaspoonsalt
For the Sauce:
1cupketchup
1/2cupmolasses
1/4cupbrown sugar
1/4cupyellow mustard
2tablespoonsWorcestershire sauce
1teaspoongarlic powder
1teaspoononion powder
1teaspoonchili powder
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
1/4teaspooncayenne pepperadjust to taste
For the Bacon and Onions:
6slicesof baconchopped
1large oniondiced
For Smoking:
3-4chunks of hickory woodor wood of your choice
Instructions
Soaking the Beans
Rinse and Sort: Start by rinsing the dried navy beans under cold running water. Remove any debris or stones that you may find.
Soak the Beans: Place the beans in a large stockpot and cover them with water, ensuring there's about 2 inches of water above the beans. Let them soak for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Preparing the Sauce
Mix the Sauce: In a mixing bowl, combine the ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir until the sauce is well-blended. Adjust the cayenne pepper to your preferred level of spiciness.
Cooking the Beans
Drain and Rinse: Drain the soaked beans and give them a good rinse under cold water. Set them aside.
Preheat the Smoker: Fire up your smoker and preheat it to 250°F (120°C). Add the hickory wood chunks for that amazing smoky flavor.
Sauté Bacon and Onions: While the smoker is heating up, take a skillet and cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until it becomes crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside. In the same skillet, sauté the diced onions until they turn golden brown. Remove them from the heat.
Combine Everything: In a large disposable aluminum pan, combine the drained and rinsed beans, sautéed bacon, and onions. Pour the sauce you prepared earlier over the mixture and give it a good stir, ensuring the beans are coated evenly.
Smoking the Baked Beans
Into the Smoker: Place the aluminum pan filled with your delicious bean mixture into the preheated smoker.
Smoke 'Em Up: Let the beans soak in that beautiful smoky goodness for about 2.5 to 3 hours. Stir the beans every 30 minutes to ensure that the sauce thickens up nicely, and the beans absorb all that flavorful smoke.
Serving
Check for Doneness: After 2.5 to 3 hours, check the beans for doneness. They should be bubbling, and the sauce should have thickened up. Taste a spoonful to make sure the beans are tender and flavorful.
Serve Hot: Remove the pan from the smoker and let it cool slightly. Serve your homemade smoked baked beans hot, as a delightful side dish to your BBQ creations.