Everyone has their favorite recipe for baked beans…this is mine. Sweet and savory beans with bacon and a bit of herb to create the yummiest, most satisfying beans ever! The best part…you can make them up in the slowcooker! By the way, have you tried that crockpot stout cake yet?
Y’all!!! Like sooo many of you, I grew up on baked beans. As a kid I loved “beanie weanies” and the canned baked beans. We ate them so often that I rarely, as an adult, make baked beans. I probably ate my lifetime quota :).
For summer picnics, however, it’s a bit of a necessity to have a good batch of these crock pot beans as a side dish to the burgers and hotdogs.
The secret to the BEST baked beans is mixing several kinds of beans together. The mixing of the various beans gives the best texture and flavor!
Don’t skip on those spices! In fact, if your family can handle it…amp up the spice mixture. Sooo good!
Most often I’ll use a cheap batch of bacon for this recipe if I’m serving a crowd. When it’s a special reason I’ll grab some really thick cut bacon which adds a really delicious flavor!
And, let’s be real…I totally add some sliced hot dogs sometimes, for old times sake ;).
Don’t skip that mustard! You’ll be surprised at how much it adds to the recipe.
Tip: Add a shot of liquid smoke to the beans to give it a great smokey flavor that reminds you of a batch of beans cooked over a campfire.
If you don’t have a favorite baked beans recipe (and frankly, even if you do!), give this one a try…it will become your new go-to!
Crockpot Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 1 28- ounce can pork and beans
- 1 16- ounce can red beans drained
- 1 16- ounce can pinto beans drained
- 1 16- ounce can kidney beans drained
- 6 slices of bacon cooked, and chopped
- 1 cup ketchup
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Add the pork and beans, red beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans to the bowl of your slow cooker.
- Add the bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, salt, sugar, cumin, garlic powder, mustard powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Add spice mixture to the bowl of the crock pot and stir to combine.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for four hours, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition
Other picnic recipes you’ll love:
Cauliflower Potato Salad tastes just like the real thing! You’ll love this low-carb version of the classic picnic side dish and never want to make the “real” thing again.
Watermelon Red Onion Salad will absolutely surprise you with it’s simple and bold flavor. So refreshing and delicious for summer picnics!
Just like beanie weenies, Fluffernutter Cookies are a child’s dreams come true! Marshmallow fluff smooshed between two peanut butter cookies is the perfect cookie for a picnic!
