by Amy L. Hatch
My kids are already in school (praise be!) but there’s an awful lot of summer left. And summer means picnics and backyard barbecues with friends, not to mention Labor Day parties.
And what goes better with hots and hamburgers than baked beans? I mean, that’s as American as apple pie, am I right?
I’m totally right. At least about baked beans and hot dogs. Ask me about advanced algebra and I’m likely to be dead wrong.
Anywho, I love these baked beans — and so does nearly everyone in my family. They’re always a hit when I make them for company, and my youngest gobbles up the leftovers all week, begging for “brown beans” at nearly every meal.
These are maybe the easiest baked beans on the planet. They’re also very low in fat, and keep and reheat really well.
First, gather your ingredients:
You will need two large cans of baked beans (I like Bush’s Best, but any brand will do), molasses, barbecue sauce and liquid smoke flavoring. I like to mix things up (heh, get it?) so I vary the flavor beans I use, but I almost always get one can of vegetarian. The flavor will also change based on the barbecue sauce. I usually grab whatever is on sale, but these could more sweet or spicy to suit your tastes depending on what sauce you use.
Preheat your oven to 325-degrees. While it is warming up, mix the beans with a 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce, 1/4 cup of molasses and one tablespoon of liquid smoke. The original recipe calls for half an onion, sliced thin, but my crew complained so I leave them out. It makes a very small difference in the flavor, as far as I’m concerned, but if you like onions, toss ’em in, too.
Mix the whole mess up and put it in the oven for two-and-a-half hours. Stir the beans every now and then, when you remember. Be careful, because these will be nuclear hot when you take them out of the oven. Be sure to let them cool a bit — this also helps them thicken.
These are better the next day, and they keep for about a week — if they last that long.
Easy Baked Beans
- 2 28-ounce cans of baked beans
- 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 TBS liquid smoke
- Half an onion, sliced thin (optional)
Mix ingredients in heavy casserole dish. Bake for two hours and 30 minutes at 325-degrees, stirring occasionally.