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Savory Crockpot Baked Beans with Bacon and Brown Sugar

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A simple, flavorful slow cooker baked beans recipe featuring smoky bacon and sweet brown sugar, perfect for parties and easy weeknight meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups dry navy beans (or great northern beans), soaked overnight
  • 6 slices thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, chopped
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

Instructions

  1. Soak the beans overnight in cold water covering by at least 2 inches (8-12 hours). Drain and rinse before cooking.
  2. Chop the bacon into small bite-sized pieces.
  3. Finely dice the yellow onion and mince the garlic cloves.
  4. In the slow cooker, combine the soaked beans, chopped bacon, onion, and garlic.
  5. Add ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce.
  6. Pour in water or chicken broth and season with salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika if using.
  7. Stir gently but thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
  8. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, checking for tenderness starting at 6 hours.
  9. Adjust seasoning and sweetness to taste. If sauce is too thin, cook uncovered on high for 15-30 minutes to thicken.
  10. Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh parsley or chopped green onions.

Notes

Soaking beans overnight softens them and reduces cooking time. Use thick-cut bacon for best flavor. Adjust sweetness near the end of cooking. If using canned beans, add them in the last 1-2 hours to avoid mushiness. For vegetarian version, omit bacon and use smoked paprika or liquid smoke with vegetable broth.

Nutrition

Keywords: baked beans, crockpot, slow cooker, bacon, brown sugar, party side dish, easy recipe, comfort food

Find it online: https://lucastable.com/savory-crockpot-baked-beans-with-bacon-and-brown-sugar-recipe-easy-and-perfect-for-parties/