Crockpot Bacon Bourbon Baked Beans
User Reviews
5
Crockpot Bacon Bourbon Baked Beans
Description
This recipe starts with dry Navy beans soaked overnight, then parboiled until just tender. Crisped and rendered bacon adds smoky depth, while sautéed onions and garlic provide aromatics. The slow cooker sauce blends barbecue sauce, bourbon, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce, creating a complex sweet-savory glaze that infuses the beans during the long cooking process.
Cooking the beans and sauce together on low heat for 10 to 12 hours allows flavors to meld fully, while continuing to thicken the sauce. Letting the beans rest after cooking further concentrates the sauce for a rich consistency. This baked beans dish pairs well with grilled meats or as a hearty addition to casual gatherings.
The bacon fat rendered during cooking is added back into the crockpot to enhance flavor. Stirring occasionally during the crockpot phase helps prevent sticking and distributes flavors evenly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Navy beans dry
- 10 lices Bacon cut into pieces, thick-cut
- 1 sweet onion chopped, medium
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups water
- 3/4 cup barbecue sauce favorite
- 1 cup brown sugar loosely packed
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 cup bourbon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- The night before, add beans to a large pot and cover with water. Drain the next morning.
- Bring beans to a boil in a large pot of water, let simmer for 30-40 minutes, then drain. While beans are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until crispy and fat is rendered, then remove bacon with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onion, cooking for 8-10 minutes, until caramely and soft. Add in garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then turn off heat.
- Add water, bourbon, brown sugar, bbq sauce, ketchup, ground mustard, vinegar, molasses and worcestershire sauce to the crockpot and whisk well to combine. Add in beans, onions (and all of the bacon fat) and bacon to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours, stirring occasionally. After 10-12 hours, turn crockpot to “warm” setting or turn off completely and let sit anywhere from 30 minutes-2 hours, which will help the sauce for the beans thicken even more. These taste even better the next day!
- Note: after 10-12 hours the liquid may still seem “liquidy.” It is imperative to let the beans sit for a while on the lower setting (or on the off setting, still covered) so they become thick and syrupy like traditional baked beans.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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