Southern Bacon-Loaded Baked Beans
Southern Bacon-Loaded Baked Beans are the perfect side dish for BBQs, featuring a rich mix of beans, spices, and crispy bacon.
Ingredients
- 4-6 slices of thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper diced
- 1/2 bell pepper chopped
- 1 can 12 oz pork and beans, undrained
- 1 can 12 oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 12 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2-4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. If you prefer, cut the bacon into 3-4 strips and partially cook them for about 3 minutes. The bacon should be undercooked as it will crisp up in the oven. Set aside.
- Remove excess oil, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat (or use cooking oil if preferred). Add the chopped onion, diced jalapeno, and bell pepper.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft and translucent. Stir in the pork and beans, red kidney beans, pinto beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, Cajun seasoning, minced garlic, and pepper.
- Mix well until everything is evenly combined.
- Transfer the bean mixture to an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place the partially cooked bacon on top and bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for approximately 35-40 minutes, or until the beans are bubbling and hot throughout. Avoid overcooking to maintain the best texture.