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Savory Brown Sugar Bacon Baked Beans Slow Cooker Recipe Easy and Delicious

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A comforting and flavorful slow cooker baked beans recipe featuring smoky bacon and sweet brown sugar, perfect for easy gatherings and lazy weekends.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cans (28 oz / 796 g each) baked beans
  • 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) navy beans, drained and rinsed
  • 8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) molasses (optional)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces. Dice the onion finely and mince the garlic cloves.
  2. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy and fat has rendered, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving bacon fat in the pan.
  3. Add diced onion to the bacon fat and cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add baked beans, navy beans, cooked bacon, sautéed onion, and garlic into the slow cooker.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
  6. Pour the sauce over the beans and bacon mixture. Stir gently to combine without mashing the beans.
  7. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, stirring once or twice if possible. Alternatively, cook on high for 2 to 3 hours if short on time.
  8. Before serving, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Add extra brown sugar if a sweeter flavor is desired.
  9. If sauce is too thin at the end, remove lid and cook on high for 15-20 minutes to thicken.

Notes

Render the bacon first to get rich smoky fat flavor. Use dark brown sugar for deeper molasses flavor. Avoid stirring too often during slow cooking to prevent beans from becoming mushy. Adjust seasoning at the end. If sauce is too thin, cook uncovered on high for 15-20 minutes to thicken. Can substitute molasses with maple syrup or honey. For vegetarian version, omit bacon and add smoked paprika and liquid smoke.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, slow cooker, bacon, brown sugar, comfort food, easy recipe, savory, sweet, barbecue side

Find it online: https://evabakery.com/savory-brown-sugar-bacon-baked-beans-slow-cooker-recipe-easy-and-delicious/