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Southern-Style Baked Beans with Bacon

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A hearty, slow-cooked Southern-style baked beans recipe made from scratch with smoky bacon, molasses, and a tangy-sweet sauce. Perfect comfort food that pairs well with grilled meats or holiday dishes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups dried navy beans (about 300g), soaked overnight or quick-soaked
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ cup molasses (60ml), unsulphured if possible
  • 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (60ml)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth (480ml)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight or quick soak by boiling for 2 minutes, then letting stand covered for 1 hour. Drain and rinse before cooking.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook bacon slices until crispy, about 7-10 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and leave rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Add chopped onion to the bacon fat and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent, stirring often. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and smoked paprika (if using). Cook for 1-2 minutes to deepen flavor.
  5. Add soaked beans, chicken broth, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir well to combine.
  6. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
  7. Check beans for tenderness after 90 minutes. If sauce is too thin, cook uncovered for another 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently.
  8. Chop reserved bacon and stir back into the beans. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook another 5 minutes to meld flavors.
  9. Remove from heat and let beans rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

If beans absorb too much liquid, add a splash of broth or water. Avoid over-salting early as bacon and Worcestershire sauce add saltiness. Stir every 15-20 minutes to prevent burning. Beans taste better the next day after resting overnight. For vegetarian version, omit bacon and use smoked paprika and liquid smoke, swap chicken broth for vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, southern style, bacon, comfort food, homemade, slow cooked, navy beans, molasses, easy recipe

Find it online: https://yumyep.com/southern-style-baked-beans-with-bacon-recipe-easy-homemade-comfort-food-from-scratch/