Thursday, May 19, 2011

Delicious Baked Beans



We usually kick off the outdoor barbecue/grilling season over the Memorial Day weekend here in the northern part of the U.S.  There will be picnics and outdoor barbecues galore and, hopefully, the weather will cooperate. It's hard to believe that it's only one week away and soon it will be June.

I would like to share a delicious baked bean recipe which is easy to put together and so delicious!  I received the recipe from my friend, Debbie, at Mountain Breaths, and she got it from the Cooking Forum. 

There is a very similar recipe in the cookbook Junior League at Home that has the same medley of beans but also calls for dry mustard, molasses and a little Worcestershire.  My adaptation contains fresh thyme as well.

I made these beans for our Easter dinner last month so I'm sorry I don't have an 'after' photo. They were quickly devoured with our Easter ham :)

Shop oven safe baking dishes for baked beans HERE.  (Affiliate Link). 
 
Delicious Baked Beans
Printable Recipe

Serves 8-10

2 cups canned kidney beans, drained
2 cups butter beans, drained
2 cups pork & beans with juice
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
(Optional additions are 1/4 cup Molasses, 2 Tablespoons Dry Mustard, 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire)

Saute the bacon and onion in a skillet until the bacon is cooked through and the onions are soft.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F.

Combine all the beans in a large bowl and stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder, thyme, pepper and any other seasonings you choose to use. Stir in the bacon and onions. Spoon into a 2 qt baking dish (or large enough to hold all of the beans) and bake in a preheated 325° oven approximately 1-1/2 hours or until the beans are your desired consistency.  I like mine a little less 'runny' so sometimes I increase the baking time a little.

These can easily be made the day ahead and reheated.

47 comments:

  1. I've made a very similar version using your additions many times and love it! The only thing different is the thyme, and I happen to have a happy thyme plant in the garden:@)

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  2. The flavor!! Baked beans are super and I love your recipe combining different types of beans.

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  3. Mmmm, these sound delicious. We love baked beans. Although I've never strayed from Boston Baked beans, only because it's what my mom makes and they are so good! I'll give yours a try . . . but I'd have to have my moms too, otherwise my family may have a stroke if they think I changed the recipe!! LOL!! Thanks for a great recipe and for your visit today!

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  4. I would love to slice up some spicy franks and toss them in! Yummy. xo,

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  5. Would love to have a smoked sausage cooked on the grill, on a bun with mustard, and a serving of those beans. Yum !!

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  6. My husband would be very happy if I made this, Susan, as he could eat beans every day of the year! It looks perfect as a Memorial Day BBQ side. Hope the weather will co-operate!

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  7. I was just talking about the fact that I do not have a good baked bean recipe. I may have just found one. Awesome.

    Velva

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  8. They sound yummy, but I have no butter beans so I wonder how black beans would work?

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  9. Thank you, friends!

    Anonymous, butter beans are simply large lima beans. I'm sure you'd be able to find them but black beans would be great in this recipe too. All beans are welcomed :)

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  10. This looks like a delicious recipe...so pretty. Like Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes (cute name), we stick with New England baked beans, but what if I didn't call them baked beans...Hmmm, worth a try. I hope that we all have a nice Memorial Day weekend. It's not looking too promising now.

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  11. I call these calico beans - going to try this version..looks good!!!

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  12. I'd have to pick out the lima's, I just can't eat them, Larry would love! Nice change from my usual Heinz vegetarian beans mixed with hot dogs and a little maple syrup! Can't believe it's almost June!

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  13. This looks simple delicious! Will have to give this a try! Thank you for sharing!

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  14. Your beans look delicious! My SIL makes a version of this... I love the thyme addition, I'll have to try!

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  15. Beans and thyme are a match made in heaven and this pot of beans juicy and full of flavor would not last at my house either!

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  16. These faster cooking recipes are great aren't they? As good as the classics..in a different way..Yours look delish!

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  17. This looks so mouthwatering! Love thyme..

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  18. Ah baked beans! They look good! I will be making them for 150 people next weekend. I do it pretty much the same, but low and slow overnight in the oven .

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  19. GORGEOUS!! I love this twist with new, fresh additions. I am so excited for this recipe. Thank you for sharing!!

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  20. Every good cook should know how to make a big pot of homemade beans, and yours look fantastic Susan! I love the colors and all the different flavors. I've got to try these soon! :) Thanks for sharing.

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  21. Absolutely beautiful Susan. I love baked beans and the differnet falvours in tthis dish makes it a big hit! Great job.

    Have a great weekend.

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  22. Who needs the steaks with these baked beans. I'm preparing menus for the visit from my sisters and this is going to be on the table one day.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  23. I make a recipe similar to this one. Perfect for summertime!!

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  24. MMMmmm recipe sounds great. i will make them soon. Happy Memorial day! Sunny109

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  25. I bet these beans are fantastic with a ham. I always serve a similar dish with something hot off the gill. They look absolutely delish! I can't wait to give them a try.

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  26. Baked beans are a picnic staple here, and these look particularly delicious. I love all of the different beans you've used! This will be a great addition to my picnic repertoir. :)

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  27. ciao Susan!grazie delle tue visite!!!!!!! una ricetta davvero squisita!!sei sempre bravissima!un abbraccio!!!!!!!!!

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  28. Yummm! I loved the combo of various beans in your recipe!

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  29. Thank you and happy outdoor grilling season to you all!

    Note - I see I forgot to include mixing in the cooked bacon and onions in my recipe. I've now fixed that.

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  30. this sounds fantastic! you are genius in the kitchen:) love all of your post!! thank you for sharing this.

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  31. This is our long weekene in Canada. Trying to add more beans to our diet; this recipe is being saved Susan; sure looks good.
    Rita

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  32. oh my, so so so much better than the canned baked beans I'm used to. So jealous, I can only grill indoors now as the weather is horrible!

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  33. Susan, we're making the beans this weekend also! Glad you are enjoying them.

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  34. I'm totally loving the concept of the mix of beans in this baked beans recipe. So interesting.

    - The Tablescaper

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  35. I misplaced my similar recipe, so was happy to find this on your blog. I recently made it and it was delicious. Thank you! ☺

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  36. For those who don't care for lima/butter beans, try using Great Northern beans. We use the dried version when making baked beans from scratch. They go well with these spices!

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  37. Pinto beans and great northern instead of butter beans and kidney.

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    1. Whatever kind of bean your like I think would work well in this recipe - thanks!

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  38. Could you make these in the slow-cooker? I'm thinking so on low heat...how long do you think it would take to cook them? I'm going to make them this weekend with some BBQ ribs!! I can't wait to try them!

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    1. Hi Nicole. I've never tried them in a slow cooker but I can't see why it wouldn't work. I would definitely take the top off during the end of cooking unless you like very 'runny' baked beans. I can't advise on time since I've never made them that way, so I would do an internet search for slow cooker baked bean recipes and follow the cooking guidelines that you find. They are delicious and I hope you like them!

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    2. PS: The photo above was taken before they went into the oven.

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  39. My mother made this with Grandma Brown baked beans for our family reunion. So good. Miss it.

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    1. I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for letting me know :)

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  40. Almost like beans I make, no thyme in mine and hamburger in mine, only one can each bean, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, sugar, molasses, mustard, drain kidney and butter beans for holidays and birthdays, I can't come unless these are with me. Yumm

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  41. I used to make a recipe like this all the time and my whole family loved it, except no thyme. When I got with my husband he told me not to make it anymore as he didn't like it. He grew up on Van Camps pork and beans, which he just loved! So easier life for me, as I just bought him smaller cans at the grocery store and let him chow down!

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