Smoked Baked Beans
The perfect balance of sweet, smoky, and spicy takes these smoked baked beans over the top. They’re definitely a backyard BBQ side dish you can count on. One bite will have your guests raving about the best baked beans they’ve ever tasted!
Baked beans are a family favorite around here. But whenever I smoke them, they’re so good that people can’t seem to get enough. I was almost embarrassed when my baby nephew licked the plate clean, but it was so cute.
Best of all, you don’t need a ton of ingredients to get that intense flavor. A few pantry staples, including bacon, and your smoker are all you need to make this family-cookout-worthy side.
Canned vs. Home Cooked
I have no shame in admitting I used canned beans this time. Mainly because it saved a ton of time while we were planning our outdoor BBQ. That said, feel free to use homemade beans if you have the time, because you know it will be even better.
Smoking Easy Baked Beans
- Fry the bacon, sauté the vegetables, and add the spices.
- Stir in the beans and the sauce ingredients, top it with the bacon, and smoke it.
Variations and Tips
- Make a chili-like version by topping it with shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese and crumbled tortilla chips.
- No smoker? Add a dash of liquid smoke and bake it for an hour or two.
- Fruitwoods like apple or cherry, and mild woods like oak, are good flavors for smoking beans. Avoid overpowering woods like mesquite.
- The advantage of a pellet grill is being able to set it and forget it. But soaking wood chips and cooking them over indirect heat in your charcoal grill will also work.
Make-Ahead and Leftovers Instructions
Make these beans ahead for a stress-free family event. Refrigerate cooled smoked beans for 3-4 days in an airtight container or freeze them for 4-5 months. The same goes for leftovers.
Heat the beans in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat until bubbling, and serve.
FAQs
Most recommend navy (haricot), but Great Northern, pinto, and cannellini (white kidney beans) also work fine. While canned beans save time, soaking and cooking dried beans saves money.
Yes, a smoker box or filling a foil packet with wood chips or chunks will give you smoky flavors. Place them on one side of the grill with the beans on the other for indirect heat.
What Goes With Smoked Baked Beans
Try these beans with smoked ribs, chicken thighs, and pulled pork. Serve them with a side of coleslaw and potato salad because that’s what your family wants at a cookout.
More Easy Side Dish Recipes to Try
By Imma
Smoked Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 4-6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 3-4 chunks
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ jalapeno, diced
- ½ bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon (15g) minced garlic
- 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup (135g) ketchup
- 1 tablespoon (16g) mustard
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons (40g) molasses
- ¾ cup (180g) barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon (12g) Creole seasoning
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Fry the bacon over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet for about 3 minutes until some of the fat renders. Don't cook the bacon until crispy because it will finish cooking in the smoker. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté the onion, jalapeno, bell pepper, and garlic in the bacon fat until soft and translucent.
- Add the beans to the skillet, along with the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, barbecue sauce, Creole seasoning, and pepper. Stir well.
- Place the partially cooked bacon on top of the beans.
- Place the skillet in the pellet grill or on a charcoal grill and smoke for 2-3 hours or until the beans' flavors have melded together.
- Occasionally check the liquid level, and if the beans start drying out, add more barbecue sauce or water to keep them moist.
- Serve hot, and enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- Use your favorite BBQ sauce for more sweet or smoky layers of flavor, or make your own. And, as always, feel free to adjust seasonings and ingredients to taste.
- I used the beans I had in the pantry. Navy beans, Great Northerns, and white kidney beans are traditional choi
- Check the liquid level often. If the beans start drying out, add more barbecue sauce or water to keep them moist.
- Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used in the recipe.
I’ve never thought of smoking beans. Can’t wait to try this.