Baked Barbecued Beans with Bacon

In exchange for sharing this amazingly delicious recipe, I received an advance copy of Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking written by Toni Tipton-Martin. While this recipe was inspired by the cookbook, it is not an exact duplicate. So, if you would like to see the original recipe, make sure to purchase a copy of Toni Tipton-Martin’s newest cookbook. I can pretty much guarantee that you will love it and all of the mouth-watering recipes it contains. I think you’ll also enjoy the in-depth historical background included along with each recipe from this James Beard Award-winning author.

Ingredients:

• 1 Pound Extra-Thick Sliced Bacon (Divided)
• 1 Large Sweet Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1/2 Cup Ketchup
• 1/2 Cup Molasses
• 2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Whole Grain Dijon Mustard
• 1 Teaspoon Liquid Smoke
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 3/4 Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
• 3 (15.5-oz.) Cans Great Northern Beans with Juice
• Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Finely dice all but four slices of the extra-thick bacon. Place the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it is crispy and browned. Remove the diced bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
  3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease from the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and sauté them for approximately 5 minutes, or until they are translucent. Make sure to stir them occasionally to prevent them from burning.
  4. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  5. Add the brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, vinegar, dijon mustard, whole grain dijon mustard, liquid smoke, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bubbly.
  6. Place the beans, along with their juice, into a large rectangular baking dish. Add the sauce and crispy bacon to the beans; stir well to combine.
  7. Arrange the four remaining bacon slices over the top of the bean mixture.
  8. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  9. Remove the foil, increase the heat to 425 degrees, and then cook the beans until the bacon slices on top of the beans are cooked through and crispy.
  10. Suggestions:
      • Make sure to get your bacon nice and crispy when frying it. It adds texture and flavor to the beans.
      • Do not throw the liquid from the canned great northern beans away. The liquid helps to thicken up the beans as they cook. In every other recipe, I always discard the juice from canned beans and rinse them well, however, this recipe is an exception.
      • While the bacon strips on top of the baked beans may look pretty, they aren’t exactly practical when it comes to eating the beans. I suggest cutting the four slices of bacon into 1-inch pieces and then placing them on top of the beans.
      • Use a smooth-surfaced baking dish for easier cleanup. Do not make the mistake I did by picking out the prettiest one with the most crevices. Y’all, cleaning this baking dish was truly a chore. I should have just reached for my plain ol’ glass Pyrex.