Savory Smoked BBQ Baked Beans from Scratch
Making smoked beans from scratch is easy, yielding a much richer, deeper flavor than store-bought. It involves soaking and boiling dried navy beans, then smoking them low-and-slow in a sweet and savory sauce.
Smoked baked beans are a must-have BBQ side dish. Nothing goes better with your perfectly cooked BBQ than a heaping spoonful of slightly sweetened, slow-smoked baked beans loaded with sausage.
It’s worth mentioning, lots of protein cooks like pulled pork, brisket, etc. will be in the 250ºF range on the smoker. So you could throw these baked beans on the grill near the end of your cook and be ready to party once the protein rests.
And finally, you can’t serve smoked BBQ baked beans without potato salad (coming soon).
Savory Smoked BBQ Baked Beans from Scratch
Difficulty: Normal12
servings15
minutes4
hoursIngredients
1 cup dried navy or great northern beans
1 cup pinto beans
1/2 cup kidney beans
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 pound mild Italian sausage
1 cup ketchup or plain tomato sauce
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
Directions
- Soak the Beans
Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by several inches. Soak overnight, about 12 hours. - Pre-Cook the Beans
Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large pot with fresh water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the beans are tender but not mushy.
Avoid a rapid boil, which can toughen the beans.
Drain the beans and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. - Build the Sauce
In a large heavy oven-safe pot or cast iron Dutch oven, cook the Italian sausage until browned.
Remove the sausage if desired, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. Add the onion and green pepper and sauté until softened.
Stir in:
– ketchup or tomato sauce
– Dijon mustard
– Worcestershire sauce
– chili powder
– molasses
– brown sugar
– maple syrup
– apple cider vinegar
– smoked paprika
– salt
– black pepper
– garlic
Рalape̱o (optional)
Add 1/2 cup of the reserved bean liquid and mix well. - Combine and Smoke
Fold the cooked beans into the sauce mixture. Return the sausage to the pot if removed earlier.
Cover with a lid and smoke at 250°F (121°C) for 4 to 5 hours. Stir occasionally and add additional bean liquid if the beans begin to dry out. - Thicken the Beans
Remove the lid during the final hour of smoking to allow the sauce to thicken and develop a rich, caramelized crust on top.
Notes
- Old Canuck Tips
For extra smoky flavor, use hickory or maple wood.
Adjust the heat level by using milder peppers like red or green bell peppers, or increase the spice with serrano or habanero peppers.
Want a meatier version? Add chopped bacon or smoked pork belly.
A splash of bourbon adds a great depth of flavor.
Leftovers freeze exceptionally well.
