Side Dish: United States – Southern United States – Bourbon-Baked Beans

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 1 hr 20 min

Additional 10 min

Total 1 hr 40 min

Ingredients

- 6 slices (about 6 oz / 170 g) thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 (15 oz) cans (3 x 425 g) navy or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ketchup
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsulphured molasses
- 1/3 cup (67 g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) bourbon
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) yellow mustard
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly oil a 2-quart (about 2 L) baking dish or a Dutch oven.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crisp, 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer most of the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the skillet.
3. Add the chopped onion to the skillet and sauté in the bacon fat until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
4. Remove the skillet from the heat before adding the bourbon (to avoid flare-ups). Stir in the bourbon and return to medium heat; simmer 1–2 minutes to let alcohol mellow.
5. Stir in ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and chicken broth. Whisk until smooth and bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne if using.
6. In the prepared baking dish or Dutch oven, combine the drained beans, most of the cooked bacon (reserve a few tablespoons for garnish), and the sauce. Stir to coat evenly.
7. Cover the dish with a lid or tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Uncover for the last 15 minutes if you prefer a thicker, slightly caramelized surface.
8. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes to thicken further. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or pepper if needed. Sprinkle reserved bacon over the top before serving.