Paula Deen Baked Beans pack crispy bacon, onions, pinto beans, pork and beans, brown sugar, and diced tomatoes with green chiles into one pot. Ready in just over an hour, this recipe feeds 4 and belongs at every cookout or backyard barbecue across the South.
The bacon is what makes or breaks this dish. It needs to be browned and crispy before the onions go in, because that rendered fat is the flavor base for everything else. Soggy bacon means flat, one-note beans. Take the extra few minutes to get it right, and the whole pot changes.
You can dice the bacon and chop the onions the night before to save time. Drain and rinse your canned beans well or the final dish will be too starchy. Keep an eye on the oven at 30 minutes: the top should be bubbling but not dried out.
Paula Deen Baked Beans
Course: Side DishCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes1
hour835
kcalA smoky bean bake built on rendered bacon fat, with brown sugar sweetness and a kick from tomatoes and green chiles. Everything goes into a Dutch oven at 350 degrees until thick and bubbling.
Ingredients
6 slices diced bacon
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
2 cans drained and rinsed pinto beans
1/4 cups brown sugar
2 cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
1 cup water
4 (28 oz) cans drained and rinsed pork and beans
Directions
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350º.
- Cook the bacon: In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Add onions and a dash of salt and pepper. Allow to cook for a few minutes.
- Mix the beans: In a large bowl, mix together pinto beans, brown sugar and diced tomatoes. Add to Dutch oven and let cook.
- Bake: Add 1 cup of water and pork and beans to pot. Bake for 30 minutes.
FAQs
Can I use turkey bacon instead of regular bacon?
You can, but you will lose the rendered fat that gives these beans their smoky depth. Add a tablespoon of butter or oil to make up for the missing drippings. The texture will be different, and the final dish will taste leaner.
How long do these baked beans last in the fridge?
They keep well for 3 to 4 days in a sealed container. The flavors actually get better overnight as everything soaks together. Reheat on the stovetop with a splash of water if they have thickened up.
Can I assemble this the night before and bake it the next day?
Yes, mix everything in the Dutch oven, cover it, and refrigerate overnight. Add about 10 extra minutes of bake time since the dish will start cold. The beans soak up more flavor sitting overnight, so it is a good move for busy days.
Why do my baked beans always turn out watery?
You probably did not drain and rinse the canned beans well enough. All that liquid from the cans thins the dish out. Give them a solid rinse in a colander and shake off the excess water before mixing.
Do I need a Dutch oven, or can I use a regular casserole dish?
A Dutch oven works best because it goes from stovetop to oven in one pot. You brown the bacon and cook the onions on the burner, then bake everything without transferring. A casserole dish works fine, but you will need a separate skillet for the bacon step first.
