Best baked beans around!!!
These aren’t your average baked beans… they’re homemade from scratch, and every bite was worth the wait!
I started with dried Great Northern beans, slow-cooked them until tender, then combined them with seasoned ground beef, crispy bacon, onions, bell peppers, garlic, and a sweet, smoky homemade barbecue sauce.
One tip I learned along the way: don’t throw away the bean broth! After cooking the beans, strain them into a bowl and save that flavorful liquid. I used it to bring everything together in the crockpot, and it made the beans even richer.
✨ Beans
• Boil 1 bag Great Northern beans for 2 hours.
• Rinse and place in a crockpot.
• Cover with water and add:
* 1½ tsp kosher salt
* 1½ tsp black pepper
* 1½ tsp garlic powder
* 1½ tsp smoked paprika
* 3 tbsp ketchup
* 3 tbsp yellow mustard
* 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
* ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
Cook on HIGH for 4–6 hours.
✨ Meat Mixture
Dice:
• 1 medium onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
Cook until the vegetables are tender, then add:
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2–3 slices bacon, chopped
Season with:
• Black pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Garlic powder
Strain the beans into a bowl, saving the cooking liquid.
Add the meat mixture to the crockpot along with:
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup BBQ sauce
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 3 tbsp yellow mustard
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Pour in enough reserved bean broth to cover the meat, then add the beans back in and stir everything together.
Taste and adjust with a little more BBQ sauce or brown sugar if needed. Cover and cook for 1 more hour so all those flavors come together.
These are sweet, smoky, savory, and the perfect side for cookouts, holidays, or Sunday dinner.
Would you eat these as a side… or a meal all by themselves?
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Cooking baked beans from dried Great Northern beans is a game-changer compared to canned varieties. I’ve found that soaking beans overnight before boiling them can reduce cooking time and improve texture even further. Also, saving the bean broth—not just for richness but to avoid waste—adds a depth of flavor that’s hard to replicate. When preparing the meat mixture, using thick-cut bacon and allowing it to crisp slightly before mixing helps render fat and layers of smoky flavor throughout the dish. The balance of seasonings like smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and vinegars creates that complex sweet and tangy profile which makes these baked beans stand out. One tip I’ve tried is adding a splash of liquid smoke or a bit of chipotle powder if you want to elevate the smoky flavor profile. Also, letting the slow cooker do its magic by cooking the final mixture for an additional hour after combining everything really melds the tastes beautifully. This dish works wonderfully for gatherings and can be served either as a hearty side or a main dish, especially when accompanied by crusty bread or cornbread. It’s also versatile to adapt for different heat levels or dietary preferences by swapping bacon for smoked turkey or using vegetarian grounds. Overall, these baked beans made from scratch bring that comforting, homemade feel that has become a family favorite in my kitchen.
