I'm the first to admit I might be a little biased, but when my only-eating-preservative-packed-food kid asks if he can eat the beans I just made for this post, because he loves them, so, I know this baked beans recipe must be good. Or at least teen approved.
These are my go-to side dish baked beans. Any time we are invited to a pot luck BBQ, this is what I bring.
These potatoes are yummy and easy to make and left overs (if there are any) are gone in a day. Plus you can make this slow cooker recipe ahead of time and just heat 'em up when you need them. I've even frozen them and then reheated for use later… so easy.
Easy Baked Beans Recipe
I must admit, I had the step-by-step photos for months, but when I made these beans back then, we got so excited, we ate them all before I had a chance to take a “final” photo.
Today I made a brand new batch just so I could get a photo of beans on a plate. My family thanks you!
Ingredients:
- 2 large cans Bush's Original Baked Beans
- 1/2 pound Maple Sausage – I prefer Jimmy Dean brand
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp McKormick's Steak Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons katsup
- 1-2 tablespoons mustard
A note about beans. My favorite are Bush's Original baked beans. However, I've also made my own using dried beans as well as going cheap and using generic or other off brands of beans. They all work just fine, but I like the extra seasoning of Bush's the best. Use what you love.
Make the best darn baked beans on the planet:
- You can make this either in a crock pot, cooking all day or on the stove, or in a casserole dish in the oven. Really, once you cook the meat, you can mix everything together and call it finished. However, I think they are slow-cooked so the flavors melt together. For today, we're going to go with the oven-baking method.
- Brown the sausage in a skillet.
- Empty both cans of beans into a large casserole bowl/dish that has a lid.
- Pour meat into the beans. There shouldn't be much grease, but if you prefer, drain the grease first. Also, you will end up with chunks of meat in the baked beans, if you prefer smaller chunks, either cut the sausage up or putting in a food processor before adding to beans.
- Add in the rest of the ingredient and stir until well mixed.
- Cover and bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Remove from oven, remove lid and let stand for at least 15 minutes before serving.
These baked beans are super tasty cold too!
Some adjustments and thoughts…
- Regular sausage works fine too, but the sweetness of the maple sausage is part of the extra yumminess.
- If you find you don't have any brown sugar, I have discovered that 1-2 tablespoons of honey plus a tablespoon of sugar works just fine.
- Dried onions will work, fresh onions are better.
- Seasoning… you can add your own, omit the steak seasoning and add seasoned pepper and other steak/meat spices if you prefer.
We eat these baked beans all year round, however, they are especially fantastic for bringing to BBQs or sharing with friends. You can make a big batch in your slow cooker or speed up the process in a big pot on the stove, whichever you prefer. I love them so… they are definitely a go-to side dish in our family!
Do you have a favorite slow cooker recipe?
Looking for more BBQ recipes: Check out my pulled pork recipe and cheesy garlic mashed potatoes recipe (oh YUM!)
