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Cozy Homemade Baked Beans with Smoky Bacon Easy Recipe for Sweet Sauce

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A warm, comforting baked beans recipe featuring smoky bacon and a sweet-savory sauce, perfect for cozy dinners and quick preparation.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (about 300g) dried navy beans, soaked overnight or quick-soaked
  • 6 slices smoky bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups (480ml) low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Water, as needed

Instructions

  1. Rinse 1 ½ cups dried navy beans and soak them overnight in a large bowl covered with water by at least 2 inches. For quick-soak, boil beans in water for 2 minutes, cover and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse before cooking.
  2. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook 6 chopped smoky bacon slices until crisp and fat renders, about 6-8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving fat in the pot.
  3. Add 1 diced medium yellow onion to the pot and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in 3 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; cook for about 2 minutes to develop flavor.
  5. Add soaked beans, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and reserved bacon. Stir to combine and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  6. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer on stovetop. Cover pot and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring halfway through. Add water or broth if mixture looks too dry.
  7. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Adjust seasoning if desired.

Notes

Soaking beans reduces cooking time and improves digestibility. Cook bacon fat slowly to avoid burning. Cook tomato paste with aromatics to avoid raw flavor. Add liquid as needed during baking to prevent drying. Let sauce rest after baking to marry flavors. For vegetarian version, omit bacon and use smoked paprika and liquid smoke with vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, smoky bacon, sweet sauce, comfort food, homemade baked beans, navy beans, easy recipe

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/cozy-homemade-baked-beans-with-smoky-bacon-easy-recipe-for-sweet-sauce/