Baked beans are the side dish that tastes best when it shares the smoker with the main event. Canned beans keep this easy, and a couple of hours of smoke turns them thick, sweet and rich. Start them during the last few hours of your main cook, on a lower rack.
The recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 green or red bell pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans (28 oz each) pork and beans or baked beans, lightly drained
- 1 can (15 oz) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup BBQ sauce, such as Kansas City-style
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp all-purpose BBQ rub
- 1–2 cups cooked pulled pork or chopped brisket (optional)
- Smoking wood: hickory, apple or cherry
Steps
- Set up your smoker for 250°F with hickory, apple or cherry wood.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until most of the fat renders and the edges start to crisp, about 6–8 minutes.
- Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeño to the skillet and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
- In a 9x13-inch foil pan or cast-iron dish, stir together the beans, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, vinegar and rub.
- Stir in the bacon and vegetables, plus any cooked pulled pork or brisket.
- Place the pan uncovered on the smoker. Smoke 2–3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes or so, until the beans are thick, bubbling and darker on top.
- Check the center with a thermometer. The beans should reach at least 165°F before serving, since they include cooked meat.
- Let the beans rest 10 minutes. They thicken more as they cool.
Why this works
Canned beans are already cooked, so the smoker's job is to add flavor and cook off extra liquid. Leaving the pan uncovered lets the smoke reach the beans and lets the sauce reduce into a thick glaze. Cooking the bacon first renders its fat, so you don't end up with chewy, raw-tasting bits.
The sauce and rub
Our Kansas City BBQ sauce gives the beans a classic sweet and tangy base. A spoonful of all-purpose BBQ rub adds paprika, garlic and a little heat. Leftover smoked pulled pork makes these hearty enough to be a meal.
Setting beans under meat
Some cooks set the bean pan under a pork butt or brisket to catch the drippings. If you do, the drippings start out from raw meat, so the beans must cook long enough to bubble and reach at least 165°F in the center before you serve them. If you're not sure, cook the beans on their own rack.
Best wood
Hickory gives the boldest flavor. Apple and cherry are milder and a little sweet. Check our wood pairing chart if you're matching the beans to the meat on the smoker.
How to tell it's done
The sauce should be thick enough that a spoon dragged through leaves a trail. The edges will be dark and sticky. The center should read 165°F or higher. If the beans look dry, stir in a splash of water or more sauce.
Make ahead / storage
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. They keep 3–4 days in a covered container. Reheat in a covered dish or a pot until they reach 165°F. Baked beans also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Variations
- Spicy. Add a second jalapeño and a pinch of cayenne.
- No pork. Skip the bacon, use vegetarian baked beans and add 1 tsp smoked paprika.
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