Hickory Smoked Cheater Beans
Slow-cooked perfection ready in under an hour.
I’ve been trying to track down the best baked bean recipe for years, and in the end I decided to simply come up with my own. With this cheater recipe there’s no need to pull out the slow cooker or soak your beans for 10 hours — all it takes is a couple of savvy ingredients to fast forward things so you can dig in and enjoy this comfort food in less than an hour. My favourite pairing for this side dish is my baked fried chicken, a fresh vinaigrette coleslaw, corn on the cob, and don’t forget the apple pie. — CFG
Ingredients
1 (28-oz.) can baked beans (any flavour except tomato based)
2 large cans of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white or yellow onion, shredded or pulsed in a food processor until nearly minced
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp liquid smoke
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Bring a cast iron skillet to medium heat and add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 large yellow/white onion that has been pulsed in a food processor (or minced by hand).
Sauté the onions until they are translucent and soft, but not browned (about 10 minutes).
Once the onions are fully softened, add 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of dry mustard, and 1tsp of garlic powder. Stir completely and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add in 1 can of baked beans, 2 cans of red kidney beans, 1/2 cup of crumbled, cooked bacon, and 1 tsp of liquid smoke. Gently stir mixture until ingredients are fully incorporated, cover pan with aluminum foil, and transfer beans to oven. (You can also move the beans to medium sized casserole dish and cover with a lid.)
Bake for ~45-60 min.
Serve and enjoy!
