Have you considered making homemade baked beans in a slow cooker? It’s simpler than you might think, and the results are far superior to most canned varieties.
As a child, baked beans were a fixture at summer picnics. Whenever the grill was hot, baked beans and Amish potato salad were the usual sides. For years I avoided baked beans because they seemed overly sweet and their texture was too mushy for my taste.
Everything changed when a friend offered me a spoonful of her slow cooker baked beans. I was skeptical, but the difference was striking — they were balanced, flavorful, and perfectly textured. I asked for her method, and although she didn’t have an exact recipe, her guidance let me create my own version that became a new favorite.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans Recipe
Begin with one pound of dry navy beans; great northern beans work well as an alternative. Although baked beans in cans look dark, they begin as white beans. Sort, rinse, and soak the beans overnight. If you’re short on time, use the quick-soak method on the package, then drain them and place them in the slow cooker.
Cook thick-cut bacon in a skillet until browned but not overly crisp. Drain, let cool slightly, and cut into small pieces. Reserve two tablespoons of bacon grease to add richness to the beans.
Dice one medium onion and half a green pepper. These vegetables add subtle layers of flavor and texture that complement the beans.
Homemade Baked Bean Sauce
Prepare the sauce by combining the remaining ingredients (except the water). This mix of brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, stone-ground mustard, maple syrup, and seasonings creates a balanced sweet-and-savory profile that’s better than most store-bought sauces.
In the slow cooker, combine the soaked and drained beans, diced onion, green pepper, sauce mixture, bacon pieces, reserved bacon grease, and two cups of water. Stir well to distribute ingredients evenly.
Cook on HIGH for 6–8 hours or on LOW for 10–12 hours, depending on your slow cooker. The longer cook time allows the beans to absorb flavors and become tender without falling apart. In our 6-quart programmable Crock-Pot, about seven hours on high produced perfectly tender beans.
When the beans are tender, stir and remove the lid for 20–30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Leftovers freeze well, making this an excellent make-ahead side dish for busy weeks or unexpected gatherings.
Slow Cooker Baked Beans
Thick, flavorful baked beans made from dried beans and cooked slowly for an easy, tasty side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry great northern or navy beans
- 6–8 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1/2 green pepper, finely diced
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup molasses
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup stone-ground mustard
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Sort and soak the beans according to package directions, then drain.
- Cook the bacon in a skillet until browned but not overly crisp. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Chop the cooled bacon into small pieces.
- In the slow cooker, combine the beans, onion, green pepper, brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, maple syrup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Add the water, bacon, and reserved bacon grease, then stir again.
- Cook on LOW for 10–12 hours or on HIGH for 6–8 hours, until the beans are tender.
- When tender, stir and leave the lid off for 20–30 minutes to thicken the sauce slightly before serving.
Notes
All slow cookers heat differently; adjust times as needed for your appliance.
Recipe provided by Make Your Meals.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
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