Paula Deen Southern Baked Beans

Paula Deen Southern baked beans are an easy side dish made with canned pork and beans, crispy bacon and sweet maple syrup, ready in 1 hour 15 minutes. They're a simple Southern comfort food side for potluck, cookout or church supper tables, and an easy one-dish bake.

Brown the onion in the bacon drippings until it turns deep golden, because that is where the savory backbone of the sauce comes from. Soften it only a little and the beans taste sweet but flat.

Paula doctors plain canned pork and beans with yellow mustard, ketchup and real maple syrup instead of the usual brown sugar. Baking them covered keeps the sauce loose, so you get a sticky glaze without any soaking or hours of simmering.

Paula Deen Southern Baked Beans

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Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

190

kcal

Smoky bacon and browned onion melt into a sweet, tangy maple sauce that coats tender beans. Covered baking keeps everything saucy and thick rather than dry.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb bacon
  

• 1 large onion, diced
  

• 2 (16 oz) cans pork and beans
  

• 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  

• 5 tablespoons Maple syrup
  

• 4 tablespoons ketchup
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 325°F. That way it is ready by the time the bacon and onion are cooked.
• Fry the bacon: Fry 1/2 lb bacon in a skillet until crispy, then crumble it. Leave the drippings in the pan, since you will cook the onion in them next.
• Brown the onion: Saute 1 large diced onion in the bacon drippings until browned. Once it turns deep golden, take the pan off the heat.
• Mix the beans: Stir the crumbled bacon, onion and drippings with 2 (16 oz) cans pork and beans, 3 tablespoons yellow mustard, 5 tablespoons maple syrup and 4 tablespoons ketchup. Mix until the sauce is evenly combined.
• Bake covered: Pour everything into a baking dish and cover it. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the beans are hot and the sauce is bubbling.

Tools for this recipe

• Lodge 10.25-inch cast iron skillet, Pyrex 9x13 glass baking dish, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Butternut Mountain Farm pure Vermont maple syrup, 32 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use brown sugar instead of maple syrup?

Yes, brown sugar works if that is what you have, though you lose some of the woodsy flavor the syrup adds. Start with a little less and taste, since brown sugar can read sweeter.

How long do leftover baked beans keep?

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat them with a splash of water, since the sauce thickens as it sits.

Can I make these ahead for a party?

You can mix everything and keep it covered in the fridge a day before baking. Add a few extra minutes in the oven since it goes in cold.

Can I make these in a slow cooker?

A slow cooker works if you would rather free up the oven. Cook the bacon and onion first, stir everything together, and heat it on low until it is hot and bubbly.

What is the most common mistake with baked beans?

Skipping the browning of the onion is the big one, because it leaves the sauce tasting sugary. Also keep the dish covered while baking so the beans do not dry out.