Smoked Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 227 gsmoked thick-cut bacon, sliced crosswise into 6 mm strips
• 1 smallyellow onion, diced
• 2 clovesgarlic, peeled and minced
• 110 g (½ cup)dark brown sugar
• 60 ml (¼ cup)maple syrup
• 180 ml (¾ cup)barbecue sauce
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)Worcestershire sauce
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons)Dijon mustard
• 60 ml (¼ cup)apple cider vinegar
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon)Diamond kosher salt, plus freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups cooked beans, or 3 cans of 425 g (15 oz) eachpinto beans, butter beans or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed if canned

Instructions

1. 1

   Brown the bacon

   Heat a 3–4-quart Dutch oven or 30 cm (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon for about 10 minutes, until its fat has rendered and it is just beginning to brown but is not crisp.

2. 2

   Pour off fat

   Remove all but about 30 ml (2 tablespoons) of the bacon fat from the pan. Set the excess aside for another use.

3. 3

   Soften the onion

   Lower the heat to medium-low and add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for 3–5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic for the final minute.

4. 4

   Mix the beans

   Stir in all the remaining ingredients except the beans. Gently fold in the beans until combined, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

5. 5

   Prepare the pan

   Move the mixture to a disposable aluminium pan, or leave it in the cast-iron skillet. Keep it uncovered so the smoke can reach the beans.

6. 6

   Heat the smoker

   Set up the smoker for indirect cooking and preheat it to 107°C (225°F), using the wood you have planned for the main dish.

7. 7

   Smoke the beans

   Put the beans in the smoker and cook for 2 hours. Taste them, then continue smoking for up to 3 hours in total if you want a stronger smoky flavour.

8. 8

   Cool before serving

   Take the beans out of the smoker and leave them to cool for at least 5–10 minutes before serving.

What are smoked baked beans?

Baked beans are a familiar American barbecue and cookout side, often made with beans in a sweet, savoury sauce. This version gets its smoky character from both the bacon and time in the smoker.

The combination of barbecue sauce, maple syrup, brown sugar and vinegar brings sweetness and tang, while the beans make the dish hearty enough to stand alongside grilled mains.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 326 calories, 8g protein, 47g carbs, 12g fat.

The beans and brown sugar contribute much of the carbohydrates, while bacon and the sweetened sauces account for much of the fat and additional energy. Beans also provide the dish's protein. Pair a serving with vegetables or salad and a lean grilled main for a more balanced plate.

Choosing the beans

Bean type: Pinto, butter or red kidney beans all work here. Choose one kind or combine them, and drain and rinse canned beans before adding them.

Canned or cooked: Both are suitable, so use whichever is convenient. Handle the beans gently as you fold them into the sauce to help keep them intact.

Building the smoky base

Bacon fat: Render the bacon until it starts to brown, but stop before it becomes crisp. Leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan gives the onion a flavourful base.

Aromatics: Cook the onion until soft and translucent, then add the garlic only for the final minute. This gives the onion time to soften without letting the garlic burn.

Balancing the sauce

Sweetness: Brown sugar and maple syrup give the sauce its rounded sweetness, while barbecue sauce adds savoury seasoning. Their flavours concentrate as the beans smoke.

Tang: Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar balance the sweet ingredients. Taste before smoking and check the seasoning while the mixture is still easy to adjust.

Smoking for the right texture

Uncovered pan: Leave the beans uncovered in the smoker so smoke can reach the surface. Use a cast-iron skillet or move the mixture to a disposable aluminium pan.

Doneness: Smoke for 2 hours, then taste. The recipe allows up to 3 hours in total for a deeper smoky flavour; the beans should be hot and the sauce should cling to them.

Timing and serving

Smoker heat: Keep the smoker at 107°C (225°F) and use indirect heat. The stated smoking time is 2 hours, with up to an extra hour depending on how smoky you want the beans.

On the plate: Serve them alongside grilled or smoked mains, such as barbecue meat, with a crisp salad or green vegetables to bring freshness to the meal. Let the beans stand for 5–10 minutes after smoking before serving.

Recipe notes & tips

• Cut the bacon into evenly sized strips so it renders at a similar rate.
• Save the bacon fat you pour off for another use, as directed in the method.
• Rinse canned beans well and let them drain before adding them to the sauce.
• Keep the beans uncovered in the smoker to let the smoke reach the mixture.
• Taste after 2 hours of smoking before deciding whether to continue.
• Allow at least 5–10 minutes of cooling before serving.

Variations

• Mix the beans: Combine pinto, butter and red kidney beans for a varied texture.
• Choose your wood: Use the same wood you planned for the main dish, as the recipe suggests.
• Adjust the smoke: Stop at 2 hours for a gentler smoky flavour or continue for up to 3 hours.
• Change the pan: Smoke the beans in a cast-iron skillet or a disposable aluminium pan.
• Tune the seasoning: Adjust salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste before smoking.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crisping the bacon: Stop when it has rendered and just begun to brown; it will continue cooking with the beans.
• Burning the garlic: Add it only for the final minute of cooking the onion.
• Breaking up the beans: Fold them in gently rather than stirring vigorously.
• Covering the pan: Leave it uncovered so smoke can penetrate the beans.
• Smoking without tasting: Check after 2 hours and decide whether to continue for up to 3 hours.
• Serving immediately: Rest the beans for at least 5–10 minutes after removing them from the smoker.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container once cooled, and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat or in the microwave, stirring until hot throughout.

Frequently asked questions