These fast and easy homemade barbecued beans have a sweet and smokey summertime flavor that perfectly complements any outdoor gathering.
If you're having a summer barbecue, there's one side dish that's sure to make an appearance on your table: good old fashioned barbecued beans, or baked beans as they are often called. These smoky, savory, and slightly sweet beans are a delicious complement to ribs, burgers, hot dogs, or whatever you have cooking on your grill.
The Secret is in the Sauce
The heart of barbecued beans lies in the sauce. The sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors mingle with the beans, creating a delightful taste sensation. The sauce typically incorporates a combination of a tomato base combined with molasses, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and spices. This complex blend of flavors creates a harmonious balance that enhances the natural earthiness of beans. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to making barbecue sauce, and there are certainly regional preferences for either sweeter, smokier, or spicier flavors. Feel free to taste as you go along and adjust to your liking.
What Kind of Beans Are Best for Baked Beans?
While there are countless bean varieties to choose from, certain types work particularly well in barbecued beans. Popular choices include pinto beans, cannellini beans, navy beans, and kidney beans, each bringing a unique texture and flavor to the dish. This recipe calls for 3 different types of beans, but if you prefer one over another, you can use just a single kind.
To make this barbecued beans recipe quick and easy, I use canned beans. This avoids the steps of rinsing, separating, and soaking dried beans and makes preparation very fast, saving time when you're busy getting ready for company.
Ingredients for Fast and Easy Homemade Barbecued Beans
I love the simplicity of this recipe. The flavor explosion in this dish is created from some of the most basic ingredients in your pantry!
There are a couple of optional ingredients in fast and easy homemade barbecued beans:
- Tomato Paste: If you want to add a bit stronger tomato flavor, I suggest adding a tablespoon of tomato paste. You can buy tomato paste in squeezable tubes instead of cans. These make it easy to use just a little, instead of taking a tablespoon from a can.
- Smoked Paprika or Liquid Smoke: The original recipe does not call for either of these. But if you prefer a smoky flavor with a peppery bite, opt for a teaspoon of smoked paprika. If you want the smokey flavor without the pepper, add a teaspoon of liquid smoke.
I like to make these an hour or two ahead of time to let the flavors meld together. Then you can just keep them warm in an oven, or on a low indirect heat on the grill until it's time to serve.
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Easy Homemade Barbecued Beans
Ingredients
- 8 oz bacon
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup tomato sauce or ketchup
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional)
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup molasses
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 15 oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
- In a deep oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel, leaving the oil in the skillet.
- Add onion to skillet and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, molasses, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar and mustard. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
- Chop bacon into pieces, then add to pot along with beans, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika or liquid smoke. Cover and simmer 5 minutes, then remove lid and simmer for 5 more minutes. If consistency is too thick, add water to desired consistency.
- Beans can be served at this point, or kept warm on the barbecue grill or in the oven until ready for serving.
