Slow-Cooked Baked Beans
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Move over bland canned beans. This Slow Cooked Baked Beans recipe will be your new favorite side dish this summer and all year long!
It's summertime, and that means BBQ season. Skip the chips and dip aisle when thinking of a side dish to take to the next BBQ you're hosting or having at your house. It's time to bring out the classic baked beans along with your burgers this season!
No, I'm not talking about the typical canned beans with ingredients we are all trying to avoid, but real, slow-cooked, fantastic tasting baked beans just like grandma used to make!
Ingredients in Baked Beans
-
- Red Kidney Beans
- Tomato Paste
- Coconut Aminos
- Molasses
- Brown Sugar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Dried Mustard
- Garlic
- Salt
- Chili Powder
- Paprika
- Pepper
Choosing the beans
I like to use dried red kidney beans for this dish. Yes, you can use canned, which will cut down on the prep time, but I find I like the result better starting with the dried. Plus, I know all the ways the beans have been processed more so as opposed to starting with already canned beans. I know precisely what seasonings I put in them. There are no preservatives, no EDTA, or TBHQ. I also know exactly how they were cooked and what they were cooked in
It also tends to be cheaper to make these, especially when making larger batches for a crowd. I mean, who doesn't love entertaining friends and family at summer BBQs?
Prep the beans
Using the dry beans requires a little bit more prep time (inactive), but it's totally worth it. The day before you plan to make the baked beans make the time to rinse the dried beans and then place them into a bowl of cold water. I like to cover them and then put them in the fridge overnight.
If you are going to use already canned red kidney beans, make sure you choose the plain kind and make sure to drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the sauce.
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Cooking the Beans
These beans come together quickly, and then they are ready to pop into the oven or slow cooker if you prefer to cook them that way. This means most of the cooking time is inactive time leaving you free to focus on other things while these do their job.
The longer you cook them, the thicker the sauce will become, I prefer mine really thick, so I like to let them go for about 3 hours in the oven. However, if you want yours a little on the thinner side, I would pull them about the 2-hour mark. At any point, you can always do a taste test and see if the sauce is at the point which you like them as well. I mean, hello, who doesn't like being a taste tester for yummy things?
Still don't think you'll have time to make these? Don't worry, I've got you covered with not only oven directions but also slow cooker and instant pot directions as well, so there is no excuse not to have these on your table!
Now it's time to whip up a batch of these babies for your next BBQ! So give the recipe a try and let me know what you think!
More Side Dish Recipes
Not Your Grandmas Soggy Coleslaw
Grilled Garlic Butter Potato Wedges
Slow Cooked Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 LB Red Kidney Beans Dried or 4 15.5 OZ Cans
- 2 C Chicken Stock or vegetable stock
- 1 C Tomato Sauce
- 1 6 OZ Can Tomato Paste
- 2 TBS Coconut Aminos
- ¼ C Molasses
- ⅔ C Brown Sugar
- ¼ C Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 TSP Dried Mustard
- 1 TBS Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ TSP Salt
- 1 TSP Chili Powder
- ½ TSP Paprika
- ½ TSP Pepper
Instructions
Starting with Dry Beans
- Soak the beans overnight. If you can not soak the beans overnight, soak them in boiling water for at least 2 hours. Rinse and drain the beans before continuing. If you are using canned beans, just rinse and drain the beans before continuing.
Ready to Cook the Beans
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the remaining ingredients into a dutch oven (or 9x13 baking dish) and stir until combined. Add the beans, stirring to coat.
- Cover with either the lid of the dutch oven or foil over the baking dish. Bake the beans for 2 -3 hours. If you like your beans a little more on the saucy side cook till 2 hours. If you want your beans and sauce on the thicker side, let it go till closer to 3 hours. If your beans are taking longer to cook, keep cooking them. Check on them every 15 minutes, until they reach the desired tenderness.
- Allow the beans to cool slightly and then serve alongside your favorite BBQ foods!
Using a Slow Cooker
- Combine the soaked (or canned) beans with the remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook the mixture on low for about 6 hours or on high for about 2-3 hours.
In the Instant Pot
- Add the soaked (or canned) beans to the Instant Pot with the rest of the ingredients. Gently stir to combine.
- Cover with the lid and make sure the valve is pointed to seal.
- Cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes, followed by a Natural Pressure Release.
- Manually release the remaining pressure and then carefully remove the lid.
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.