Flavorful Baked Beans

A classic summer favorite, these baked beans are semi-homemade and the perfect blend of sweet, savory and smoky! You’ll never go back to simply heating up a can of beans. These few simple additions make all the difference. Topped with delicious bacon, they’re sure to be a hit!

Ingredients

• 10 slices bacon diced
• 1 yellow onion finely diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper finely diced
• 54 oz can pork and beans or 4 (15.5oz each) cans
• 4 Tbsp ketchup
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dry mustard

Directions

1. Cook bacon about halfway through (in whichever way you want), and set aside to drain on a paper towel. Once cooled, roughly chop into semi-bite sized pieces.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and set rack to the lower-middle rack position.
3. In a deep skillet, heat about 2 Tbsp of bacon grease (or butter) over medium heat. Add diced onion and green pepper and sauté about 5 minutes, until softened.
4. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well. Let mixture simmer for a minute or so.
5. While the mixture is simmering, grease a 13×9 baking dish, or other 3 quart dish or pot.
6. Pour beans into the prepared baking dish and lay cooked bacon on top of the beans.
7. Bake for 2-3 hours, depending on your desired consistency.
8. Let the beans stand for 5 minutes before serving.