Quick Barbecued Beans (Printable)
Sweet and smoky stovetop beans with barbecue sauce, ready in 30 minutes for any cookout or weeknight meal.
# What You Need:
→ Beans
01 - 2 cans (15 oz each) navy beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
→ Sauces & Liquids
02 - 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
03 - 1/4 cup ketchup
04 - 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
05 - 1/4 cup water
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
06 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sweeteners
08 - 2 tbsp light brown sugar
09 - 1 tbsp molasses
→ Seasonings
10 - 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp mustard powder
12 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - Salt to taste
→ Optional
14 - 2 strips bacon, diced (omit for vegetarian version)
# How-To:
01 - If using bacon, place the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside, reserving 1 tbsp of bacon fat in the skillet. For a vegetarian version, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil instead.
02 - Add the chopped onions to the skillet and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the drained beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, water, brown sugar, molasses, smoked paprika, mustard powder, black pepper, and salt. Mix well to combine.
04 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld together.
05 - If using bacon, stir it back into the beans just before serving. Serve hot as a side dish or main course.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They taste like they simmered all day but only take thirty minutes from can opener to table.
- The smoky sweetness pairs with basically anything you are already making for dinner.
02 -
- Do not skip draining and rinsing the beans or the sauce will taste tinny and thin.
- Stirring every few minutes during the simmer is the difference between nicely thickened beans and a burned layer on your pan.
03 -
- Let the beans sit off the heat for five minutes before serving because the sauce continues to thicken as it cools slightly.
- The molasses is technically optional but adding it is what makes people think you spent all afternoon cooking these.