You are here: Home/Side Dishes/ Homemade Baked Beans in Mini Bacon Cups Recipe
Posted by Jessica Pinney on , last updated
If you’re throwing a barbecue and aren’t serving baked beans, you’re doing it wrong.
To me, theyare the quintessential BBQ side dish. That’s why I will be making sure that theJuly4th party I’m going to has some.
Growing up, we always ate canned baked beans. While they do taste good, I wanted to do something with a little extra oomph. I’ve fallen in love making BBQ sauce from scratch and thought doing the same with baked beans would knock my socks off. Well, I was right. Socks be damned, these baked beans aretruly the best I’ve ever had!
They are the perfect combination of sweet and savory, with just a little heat thrown in (thanks to the homemade habanero honey).
I love how easy they are to make. I use canned navy beans to keep it simple. The only prep is making the honey (you could always buy premade spicy honey if you want to skip this step) as well as chopping your thick cut bacon & onion. After that,you just have to let all those wonderful flavors simmer together in a saucepan for 45 minutes.
The one problem I do have with eating baked beans at a BBQ? The need for utensils! I’m walking around with my plate, probably somehow also trying to manage a beer. I don’t have time for spoons!
I have found adelicious solution…bacon cups!
I saw this mini bacon cup idea a few years ago in Bite by Bite. I loved it at the time, but didn’t get the chance to try them out until now. Wow! I can’t believe I’ve wasted all this time. I love the added crunch they give to the baked beans, and who wouldn’t want a little extra bacon flavor?
This post contains affiliate links (when you buy we make a little money at no cost to you). See ourdisclosurefor more information.
My eyes have been opened and I don’t think I could ever serve baked beansanother way.
Pour the honey into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat, add the habanero, then allow the honey to cool to room temperature.
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an airtight container. Set aside.
Baked Beans
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
Add the beans, brown sugar, bacon, port, molasses, 1 tablespoon of the habanero honey, chili powder and salt. Stir to combine, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently until the mixture is reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Mini Bacon Cups
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Turn a mini muffin pan upside-down and lightly coat the bottom with nonstick pan spray. Crisscross 3 pieces of bacon over each upturned cup, and then place another mini muffin pan on top so that the bacon pieces are compressed between the two pans.
Place the pans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the bacon cups are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set aside to cool completely. Lift off the top pan. Carefully remove the bacon cups from the bottom pan and place them on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain, wrong side up.
To Serve
Gently reheat the beans in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through (add 1 tablespoon water if they’re too thick or dry).
Place a spoonful of the beans into each bacon cup. Serve.
Takeaway: You don't have to soak your beans; but if you do, cook the beans in their soaking liquid. Myth 3: If you don't soak overnight, you should at least quick-soak.
Bacon: sliced bacon covers the top of the beans and permeates each bite with flavor as they bake. Surprisingly, the baked beans don't taste extremely bacon-y — it just adds to the overall flavor of the dish. Use regular vs thick-cut bacon for the best results.
Stir together baked beans, onion, syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard in a large bowl. Pour into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Lay bacon slices across the top. Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is browned and the beans have thickened, 35 to 40 minutes.
Baked beans offer beneficial plant compounds, including polyphenols, as well. These may protect your cells from damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals and inhibit inflammation. Both free radical damage and inflammation have been linked to heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases ( 6 , 7 ).
But, then I learned something astonishing: You can actually skip soaking beans over night, and actually you should. Not only does it shorten the amount of time until you have ready-to-eat beans, it also produces a more flavorful end result.
Modern cooking websites often say it doesn't matter. In a way, they're both right. Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until much of the grease has been released, but bacon is still flexible. Drain on paper towels and set aside. Stir together baked beans, onion, apple, brown sugar, ketchup, and mustard in a 9-inch square baking dish until well combined.
Beans are a good source of protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals. However, bacon is high in saturated fat and sodium, which can negatively impact heart health if consumed in excess. Additionally, if the toast is made with white bread, it may lack the nutritional benefits of whole grain bread.
The liquid in good canned beans is just the water and salt the beans were cooked in… filled with delicious bean flavor. And this liquid is a great thickener for not only the specific dish you're making at the moment, but for any dish that could use some thickening, some salt, and some bean flavor.
Season the beans to taste with more salt (I typically add ½ to 1 additional teaspoon), more pepper, and chili powder, if desired. Garnish with cilantro, if using.
One idea is to add marmite (trust me, it's lovely if you like marmite). You can also spice up you're your baked beans by adding a teaspoon of your favourite spice, for example smoked paprika, cumin or chilli powder if your feeling adventurous.
1. Avocados. Avocados are often sought after for their creamy texture and satiating taste. But they are also powerhouses when it comes to fighting inflammation.
Another great source of protein and fiber, beans are an excellent way to replace many filer foods that worsen joint pain and the conditions associated with it. Beans are rich in folic acid, zinc, iron and potassium— all of which are known to have important immune-boosting properties.
Overview. Black beans are a low-calorie, nutrient-dense food that are an essential addition to any arthritis diet. Packed with disease-fighting antioxidants, they have anti-inflammatory properties, and are also a great source of fiber, iron and protein.
You don't have to soak your dried beans overnight.
And the texture of the beans will also be it their best, with fewer split-open and burst ones. But like we said, you don't have to commit this hard. If you're the impatient, bean-hungry type, you can cook your beans from dry without any soaking at all.
True Or False: You Always Have to Soak Dried Beans Before Cooking. False. "It's absolutely not necessary to soak dried beans overnight (or any appreciable length of time) before cooking. Soaking will not speed up the cooking process by any measurable amount of time.
Bring cold water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat. Add beans and salt, and return to a simmer; cover. Bake beans in the preheated oven until tender, about 1 hour and 10 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to ensure beans are still covered with water. If necessary, add just enough water to cover.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.