“Discover the secret to Alton Brown’s irresistible baked beans! This mouthwatering recipe combines smoky flavors with a perfect balance of sweetness and tang. Get ready to elevate your next barbecue or family gathering with these delectable homemade baked beans that will leave everyone craving for more.”
HOW TO MAKE ALTON BROWN’S BAKED BEANS
To make Alton Brown’s baked beans, start by soaking the beans overnight. Fill a bowl with enough water to allow for the beans to expand, which is about 1 inch of water over the beans. The next day, chop the bacon, dice the jalapenos and onions, and add them to a pan.
Heat a cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat and sauté the onions, jalapenos, and bacon until the onions are soft (about 5-8 minutes). Then, add tomato paste, brown sugar, and molasses to the skillet and stir it all together. Strain the soaked beans and add them to the skillet.
Saving the water that the beans were soaked in, add 4 cups of this water to the skillet. It may seem like a lot of liquid but it will reduce during cooking. Season with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper and bring everything to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, cover the skillet or dutch oven and place it in a preheated 250-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 6-8 hours. The long cooking time allows for all of the flavors to meld together and creates tender baked beans.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR BAKED BEAN NIRVANA
1. The night before, soak the beans in a bowl filled with enough water to allow for expansion. Use about 1 inch of water over the beans.
2. The next day, chop the bacon, dice the jalapenos and onions, and add them to a 4 qt cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.
3. Sautee the onions, jalapenos, and bacon until the onions are soft, which should take around 5-8 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste, brown sugar, and molasses to the skillet. Stir these ingredients together for a few minutes.
5. Strain the soaked beans and add them to the skillet. Save the water used for soaking and add 4 cups of it to the skillet as well.
6. Season with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
7. Once boiling, cover the skillet or dutch oven and place it in a preheated 250-degree oven for about 6-8 hours.
8. After cooking for 6-8 hours, your baked beans should be ready to enjoy alongside your BBQ dishes!
Note: If using an Instant Pot, you can try adapting this recipe by soaking the beans in it for about an hour before proceeding with step 2. You may need to adjust cooking times accordingly.
How to make Alton Brown’s Baked Beans
To make Alton Brown’s Baked Beans, start by soaking the beans overnight. Place the beans in a bowl and cover them with about 1 inch of water to allow for expansion. The next day, chop bacon and dice jalapenos and onions. Heat a cast iron skillet or dutch oven over medium heat and sauté the onions, jalapenos, and bacon until the onions are soft.
Once the onions are soft, add tomato paste, brown sugar, and molasses to the skillet. Stir the mixture together before straining the soaked beans and adding them to the skillet. Save the water that the beans were soaking in and add 4 cups of this water to the skillet.
Add cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste, then bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover the skillet or dutch oven and place it in a preheated 250 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 6-8 hours. During this time, all the liquid will reduce significantly.
Ingredients
– 1 pound dried navy beans
– Enough water to cover the beans by 1 inch
– 4 slices bacon, chopped
– 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
– 1/2 medium onion, diced
– 2 tablespoons tomato paste
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 cup molasses
– 4 cups water (reserved from soaking the beans)
– 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
To make these delicious baked beans, start by soaking the beans overnight. Fill a bowl with enough water to allow for the beans to expand, about 1 inch of water over the beans.
The next day, chop the bacon and dice the jalapenos and onions. Add them to a pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. If you don’t have a cast iron dutch oven, a 4 qt cast iron skillet will work just fine. Sauté the onions, jalapenos, and bacon until the onions are soft, which should take about 5-8 minutes.
Once the onions are soft, add tomato paste, brown sugar, and molasses to the skillet. Stir everything together for a little bit and then strain the soaked beans and add them to the skillet. Save the water that the beans were soaking in and add 4 cups of this water to the skillet as well.
At this point, it may seem like there is a lot of liquid in the skillet, but it will reduce during cooking. Add cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring everything to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, cover the skillet and place it in a preheated 250 degree oven for about 6-8 hours. This slow cooking process will allow all of the flavors to meld together beautifully.
After 6-8 hours in the oven, your baked beans will be ready! They should be nice and tender with a rich molasses flavor. Serve them alongside your favorite BBQ dishes for a classic barbecue side dish that everyone will love!
Nutrition
This baked bean recipe is a hearty and flavorful side dish that is sure to please your BBQ guests. Here is the nutritional information per serving:
- Calories: 280
- Total Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
- Sodium: 370mg
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 9g
- Sugar: 16g
- Protein: 11g
Please note that these values are approximate and may vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands used in the recipe.
In conclusion, Alton Brown’s baked beans recipe offers a delicious and flavorful twist on the classic dish. With its unique combination of ingredients and careful cooking techniques, these baked beans are sure to impress. Whether served as a side dish or enjoyed on their own, this recipe is worth trying for a delightful culinary experience.
Learn More About Grilling
If you want to learn more about grilling, check out these other helpful resources!