Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve got navy beans in your pantry, you’re halfway there. The rest is stuff most people keep on hand anyway.
They freeze beautifully, so you can make a big batch and have beans ready for months. Perfect for cookouts, potlucks, or just when you want something hearty and filling.
Tips for Success
Soak those beans overnight. I know it seems like a hassle, but it’s worth it. They cook more evenly and get tender without falling apart.
Cook the bacon until it’s really crispy. That rendered fat is pure gold for flavor.
Taste and adjust at the end. Some batches need more vinegar, others want extra brown sugar. Trust your taste buds.
For canning, follow the 75-minute processing time exactly. It ensures they’re safe for long-term storage.
Let’s Talk Ingredients
Navy beans are perfect for this. They get creamy inside while holding their shape, and they soak up all those flavors beautifully.
The bacon does double duty. You get crispy pieces mixed throughout, plus the fat becomes your cooking base. Half a pound might seem like a lot, but some of that fat cooks out.
Molasses and brown sugar work together here. The molasses brings depth and prevents flat sweetness. Brown sugar adds those caramel notes.
That splash of ketchup adds acidity and helps with the color. The apple cider vinegar at the end brightens everything up.
Dijon mustard cuts through all that richness. Regular yellow mustard works, but Dijon has more complexity.
Smoked paprika reinforces that bacon smokiness. Don’t skip it for regular paprika.
How to Make Better Than Bush’s Baked Beans
Start the night before
Rinse your navy beans and cover them with plenty of water. They’ll double in size, so use a big bowl.
Get the bacon going
Drain those beans and set them aside. Cut your bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook them in your biggest, heaviest pot over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon but leave all those drippings in the pot.
Build your base
Add the chopped onion to those bacon drippings and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, and all your spices. Let it cook for 2 minutes so everything melds together.
Add beans and simmer
Add your soaked beans and water to the pot. Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a gentle simmer. Let it go for about an hour, stirring now and then.
The beans are done when they’re tender and the liquid has thickened into a rich sauce.
Finish and taste
Stir in your crispy bacon and that apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust as needed.
Can them up
Fill your sterilized jars, leaving an inch of headspace. Wipe the rims clean and seal with lids.
Process in a boiling water bath for 75 minutes. Let them cool completely before storing.
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