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Best Brown Sugar Bourbon Baked Beans for a Crowd

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These thick, glossy baked beans are packed with smoky, sweet, and boozy flavors from brown sugar, bourbon, and bacon. Perfect for feeding a crowd at potlucks, barbecues, or holiday dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs dried navy beans
  • 1 lb bacon, chopped
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
  • ¾ cup bourbon
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 6 oz tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Soak the beans overnight: Rinse dried navy beans, pick out any debris, cover with 3 inches of cold water, and soak for at least 8 hours. For a quick soak, bring beans and water to a boil, boil 2 minutes, cover, and let sit 1 hour. Drain and rinse.
  2. Cook the bacon: In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook chopped bacon until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 3-4 tablespoons of rendered fat in the pot.
  3. Sauté aromatics: Add diced onions to the bacon fat and cook until softened, about 6-8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Build the sauce: Stir in brown sugar, molasses, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper, and a pinch of salt. Cook 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves and mixture bubbles.
  5. Add bourbon: Pour in bourbon and cook 2 minutes to mellow the alcohol.
  6. Combine everything: Add drained beans, cooked bacon, and enough water to cover beans by 1 inch (about 4-5 cups). Stir to combine.
  7. Bake low and slow: Cover Dutch oven and bake at 300°F for 3 to 3 ½ hours, stirring every 45 minutes. Beans should be tender but not falling apart. Add water if too thick; remove lid last 30 minutes if too thin.
  8. Finish with vinegar: Stir in apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  9. Rest before serving: Let beans sit off heat for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, skip bacon and use 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon liquid smoke, and extra smoked paprika. For a spicy version, add 1-2 diced jalapeños and 1 teaspoon cayenne. Beans taste even better the next day. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, bourbon baked beans, brown sugar baked beans, crowd-pleasing side dish, barbecue side dish, potluck recipe

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/best-brown-sugar-bourbon-baked-beans-for-a-crowd/