# Baked Beans



## bknthesdle (Mar 27, 2011)

With Summer coming and all the get togethers we have with family and friends, I always dread the bowl of pork n beans that folks usually have. No flavor..soupy. Not my cup of tea. I thought I was just one of those folks that didn't like baked beans. (even some of the better canned ones) 

In March, at the end of dart season, I found out I was WRONG!! I do LOVE baked beans. Someone brought in a batch of baked beans and it was nothing like I had ever had before. Thick, wonderful...honestly spoon licking delicious.

So I was on the lookout for a recipe like that....and I found one. I made it the other night and honestly it could be the main dish. Everyone loved it, I had to fight off the others :bash: to save some from leftovers where I called dibs. :hysterical:

This will now always be my "go-to" dish for get togethers. It's easy and delicious. And well, if there are leftovers, it won't hurt my feelings to bring them home!

The only change I made to the recipe was that I added some jalepenos that I canned last year. (sadly, only with the taste of jalepenos without the heat)

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/08/the-best-baked-beans-ever/

I will never eat anyone else's baked beans again!!!


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## calliemoonbeam (Aug 7, 2007)

I've been making baked beans almost identical to this since the very early 1970s, lol. I only use thick-cut bacon (these days it's Wright's hickory smoked), VanCamp's brand pork and beans (even though they cost more, they hold their shape better than other brands, and I drain off as much juice in the can as possible), Head Country Hickory BBQ sauce (can you tell I like hickory??), and apple cider vinegar. Other than those specific brands, our recipes are identical.

When I originally started making them, I used a homemade BBQ sauce recipe by my uncle Pete who owned a restaurant in Ft. Worth, Texas, because you just couldn't buy ready-made sauce that good back then! Head Country has since taken it's place in my household, lol, but don't know if you can get it outside Oklahoma.

My beans are not quite as soupy as the picture of Ree's, but otherwise identical, and they're always requested at potlucks, BBQs, etc. 

I do agree with one commenter, however, who said that these aren't true "baked beans", but more like BBQ beans, however, it's what we southerners call baked beans and it works for us, lol.


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

Commercially canned beans are made and sold for a profit. That means they need to keep costs down and all the good stuff that goes into real baked beans is expensive: bacon, sausage, sometimes real maple syrup, and molasses. Plus, if they can make you pay for water in the can, it increases the profits, so you get a lot of juice in canned beans.

Home cooked dry beans beat the pants off of canned beans, no matter what type of beans.


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## bknthesdle (Mar 27, 2011)

The batch I made from the recipe above was not soupy at all. It was nice and thick and stuck to my spoon. (which I liked) I feel cheated that I didn't have this recipe years ago.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Bacon, onion, ketchup, maple syrup or brown sugar, mustard and pork and beans. Dad said they were as good as Boston baked beans....James


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## sss3 (Jul 15, 2007)

Can you can any of these recipes?


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## Lisa in WA (Oct 11, 2004)

My grandma's beans are even easier. 
And I'm embarrassed to say that they include ketchup as an important ingredient. You'd never know, though...they have an incredible taste.


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## peri_simmons (Apr 9, 2005)

I must agree with Oregon Woodsmok- 

I made rees beans for years and they are very, very,good. But just recently, since I stopped buying the "good pork and beans" I just used maple syrup,sulfered or blackstrap molasses, and soaked white beans, dry mustard, and a touch of apple vinegar and worchester sauce. It was even better. 

I added a local sausage and bacon uncooked on top. The secret was to cook the beans plain for one hour , then drain. and all other ingredients, add drained bean water to cover, then cook slowly for 5 to 6 hours. It was shocking how much better it was!!! 

Keep covered with drained bean stock as needed. Thick, sweet, tangy and a combination of the Southern bean recipe without added food additives. Who knew?


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

My ingredients are also the same, except no green pepper fans in the house so those are omitted. I also use dry beans. 

I usually add 2 different meats though----bacon and a ham hock. 

I think next time I make them I'm going to try peri simmons blackstrap molasses hint. Thanks for that tip!


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

If canning baked beans you will not want them to be as thick as some that you're going to serve for dinner. If you do, the lids will unseal after a few weeks. I had trouble with mine for years, but when I fiqured out what the problem was, I've not had a problem since. I learned that from the Ball book, that says to make them soupy. I just cook them down when I open the jars.


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## prairiegirl (Nov 2, 2004)

LisaInN.Idaho said:


> My grandma's beans are even easier.
> And I'm embarrassed to say that they include ketchup as an important ingredient. You'd never know, though...they have an incredible taste.


My Mom's bean recipe calls for ketchup, too. They are very good and requested often.
It's a basic recipe similar to Ree's.

I have canned baked bean type recipe using the Ball Blue Book and a recipe that was posted somewhere on HT.


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## Mountain Mick (Sep 10, 2005)

Here my bean recipe . 
Baked Beans Â© Mountain Mick 1998
4 cups navy beans
250g (Â½ lb) salt pork or bacon cut in small pieces
4 teaspoons salt
4 tbsp molasses
6 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 Â½ cups tomato sauce
Â¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
Â¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chill (opinional)
Â½ teaspoon cumin powder
Â½ teaspoon coriander powder 
8 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups onions- chopped

Wash beans thoroughly. Cover with cold water and soak overnight. Boil in same water 45 minutes. Drain beans, SAVING THE WATER. Add all ingredients to beans and 2 cups bean liquid. Mix well. Pack into jars to within one inch of top. Put on cap, screw band firmly tight. Now can as per your normal routine.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Instead of baking my beans in the oven, I always put them on the smoker for a few hours. They are absolutely to die for this way! I also prefer to add smoked pulled pork versus bacon to them.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Here's my all-time favorite recipe:

Old Settler's Baked Beans

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb bacon
1 med. onion
1 can red kidney beans
1 can pork and beans
1 can butter beans
Salt & pepper to taste.
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup catsup
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
2 Tbsp. molasses
Brown beef & chopped bacon with onion. Add 3 cans of beans to beef mixture and mix well. Add sugars and the rest of the ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees F. for one hour. Serves 10-12

I usually fix this in my crockpot for family dinners. It is a very popular dish.


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