Easy Oven Baked Beans Recipe

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Summer picnics are not complete without a big pan of our sweet, thick, Oven Baked Beans Recipe!

Sure opening a can of pork and beans is easy but I’ve never loved how they run all over the plate soaking into the hamburger buns and potato salad. I do however, LOVE this recipe for easy oven baked beans. This classic BBQ casserole is simple and can easily be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake.

The beans cook for 1 1/2 hours in a 350F oven leaving you plenty of time to tend to the grill outside. Made with only a few pantry ingredients, canned pork and beans, an onion and some smoky bacon, you’ll be thrilled with the transformation from plain old beans to a luscious pan of everybody’s favorite!

Our Oven Baked Beans recipe is loaded with sweet onion, a little brown sugar, ketchup, mustard and crispy bacon!

We don’t indulge in bacon very often anymore, but once a year isn’t going to hurt! Moderation right? If you’re like me and don’t like to eat cured meats, spend a few extra pennies and purchase a package of uncured bacon. It won’t last as long once opened, but the flavor is still great. For this recipe you can use any variety of bacon. Some of my favorites are black pepper, applewood smoked and maple. It’s all good!

The original baked beans recipe came from my first real cookbook published by Better Homes & Gardens. It’s been tweaked and perfected over the last 35 years and is still a family favorite at every 4th of July picnic and summer party.

Use regular canned pork and beans in tomato sauce for this easy recipe.

There are so many varieties of canned baked beans in the grocery stores these days, it’s hard to know which one to buy. Bush’s makes some amazing varieties like brown sugar, barbecue and even vegetarian. However for this recipe you’ll want to find a plain, thinner recipe for pork and beans in tomato sauce.

The ‘flavored’ beans tend to be thick and while they’ll be fine for our baked beans recipe, the thinner, plain beans work best as far as consistency is concerned. Many food companies enhance their beans so they they’ll be ready to eat right out of the can. Whatever variety of beans you use in this recipe will be fine, but if you can find plain pork and beans in tomato sauce, grab a few cans and mix up a batch of these delicious Oven Baked Beans!

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PRINT THE RECIPE!

Easy Oven Baked Beans Recipe

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins

Course: Side Dish

Author: Tricia

PRINT RECIPE

Classic potluck baked beans with bacon

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon
• 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drippings
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 (28-ounce) cans pork and beans
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ⅓ cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Rough chop the bacon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the skillet. Warm over medium heat and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion is soft, scraping up any bacon bits on the bottom of the skillet.
• Add the pork and beans, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and cayenne (if usinto the onion mixture. Stir to combine. Transfer the bean mixture to an oven-proof skillet, casserole dish or baking dish and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 105 minutes (1¾ hours). Remove from the oven and stir, then top with crumbled bacon. Allow the casserole to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

• Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
• Casserole can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated before baking. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes then bake according to directions.
• Try to find plain pork and beans that are not enhanced with BBQ sauce, maple or brown sugar. They tend to have a very thick sauce which will be even thicker once baked in the oven. Plain pork and beans in tomato sauce is best.
• The cayenne pepper is optional but adds a slight zingy bite we love.
• We always use uncured bacon. Any variety of bacon will do from applewood smoked to black pepper, and even maple.
• Substitute your favorite BBQ sauce for the ketchup if desired!

 

Inspired by a Better Homes & Garden recipe

Summer holidays and BBQ’s are not the same without a pan of our Best Deviled Eggs. Check out our post HERE for tips and tricks for making the best deviled eggs! Another forever favorite is our Traditional Creamy Potato Salad. Everybody loves the flavor and it’s great to make ahead too. Click HERE to get our recipe for Traditional Creamy Potato Salad. Finally, you won’t want to miss our recipe for Super Cole Slaw. Enjoy this mayo-free simple slaw with a nice bite from the cider vinegar and plenty of flavor from pimentos, onion and chopped green pepper. Click HERE to get our favorite recipe for Super Cole Slaw.