• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Therapist Cooks
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Easy Springy Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Easy Springy Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Food

4 Baked Beans w/ Bacon + Bourbon

Published: Jun 24, 2014 Last Updated: Sep 2023 by Lindsay This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and enjoy. Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe
No ratings yet

Not 4 beans.  IMG_2223

Want to Read Later?

You can email this post to yourself (or anyone else!), so you can come back to it later!

4 types of beans, but TYPE doesn't start with a B and also the title up there was getting kind of long and also baked beans wouldn't illustrate that we are working with FOUR DIFFERENT KINDS OF BEANS here so...just work with me.  IMG_2228

In other news, Jay and I have come to the conclusion that wedding weekends are hard, waking up at 5am to teach yoga after a wedding weekend is harder, and travelling two weekends in a row even for fun things is, wait for it, hard.  

We are DRAGGING this week, can't catch up on sleep no matter what we do.  And, clearly, the 5am wake ups don't help anything.  

BUT THESE BEANS.  I made them for Jay's dad's father's day, and they're really just perfect for this time of year.  An excellent side dish, ever so slightly different than a standard baked bean, and THE BOURBON.  Also bacon.  I have it in my head too that using green beans as one of the beans makes these super light, which is nice if you want to eat a whole vat of them.  Let's make beans!

Grab your ingredients first, and preheat the oven to 400F.  You need 4 cans of beans, any kind you like really, bacon, and bourbon.  Then, for flavor we've got tomato paste, onion, garlic, apple cider vinegar, chili powder, cayenne pepper, chicken stock, and brown sugar.  IMG_2175

First, cut the bacon into little bits and add it to a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Stir once the bacon starts to sizzle to separate the bits.  IMG_2176

While the bacon is working, chop the onion and mince the garlic.  IMG_2178

When the bacon is crispy, after about 7 minutes, add the onion to the bacon and bacon drippings.  IMG_2179

Cook the onion until it starts to turn translucent but not brown, then add the garlic.  IMG_2180

Cook the garlic for ONE MINUTE so it doesn't burn, then it's time for seasonings!  Bourbon...IMG_2183

Vinegar, spices, sugar, and tomato paste.  Yum!IMG_2185

Last, add the chicken stock to the skillet to form a sauce.  Let the mixture bubble and reduce for just  minute or so, then turn the sauce off while you get the beans ready.  IMG_2186

Drain about half of the bean juice from each can.  IMG_2188

Then dump the beans into a baking dish!  This is about the equivalent of an 8x8 square - you don't need something as big as 9.13.  IMG_2189

Make everything pretty by stirring the beans around to mix them evenly....IMG_2190

....then pour the sauce right over top.  Now, grab a spoon and taste the beans.  They won't be cooked or super delicious, but you should be able to tell if you'd like to add a sprinkle of salt or more cayenne before you bake the beans.  IMG_2191

Cover the dish with foil, bake for 1-2 hours until the beans are super soft and the sauce has thickened.  Don't worry about overcooking - just test the beans after one hour in the oven and keep baking them until you like the texture of the dish.  IMG_2192

Look how gorgeous!  I love the varied colors here, and the sauce is just to die for with the bourbon and spices and tang from the vinegar and tomato paste.  IMG_2237

Make these soon, and serve with your favorite barbecue meal!  Hint:  Mine includes this BBQ sauce that I'll show you next.  There's bourbon in there too.  IMG_2235

Enjoy!

IMG_2223

Recipe

4 Baked Beans w/ Bacon + Bourbon

Lindsay Howerton-Hastings
No ratings yet
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Ingredients
  

  • 6 strips thick cut bacon cut into small bits
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup bourbon
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • cayenne pepper and salt to taste
  • 15.5 ounces canned green beans lightly drained
  • 15.5 ounces canned garbanzo beans lightly drained
  • 15.5 ounces canned kidney beans lightly drained
  • 15.5 ounces canned white beans lightly drained

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 400F. Add the bacon to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Let crisp for 5 minutes, then add the onion. Let the onion cook for 2 minutes, then add the onion and cook for one minute more.
  • Add the tomato paste, sugar, cayenne, chili powder, and some salt (especially if you're using low-salt beans) to the onion mixture. Stir to combine and coat the onions with the spices, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
  • Add the bourbon, vinegar, and stock to the skillet. Stir to combine and let reduce for 3 minutes, then turn the heat off the skillet.
  • Add the beans with any remaining juices to a large casserole dish. Pour the bacon onion mixture over top. Stir to combine, and taste: the beans will be firm, but add salt to your taste. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 90 minutes or more if needed until the beans are soft and the sauce has thickened. Taste once more, and add more salt or cayenne if you'd like.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

  • Use any beans you like - this is just a suggestion!

Nutrition

Serving: 8g
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

More Food

  • Skillet with spring veggie risotto surrounded by floral napkin and purple flowers.
    Spring Vegetable Risotto with Leeks
  • Smoked salmon charcuterie board with scallion cream cheese and pickled red onions.
    Smoked Salmon Charcuterie Board
  • A collage of recipe images for Master's viewing.
    Easy Master's Party Food Menu
  • Small white bowl of cream cheese and scallions.
    Scallion Cream Cheese

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Image of Lindsay Howerton-Hastings smiling sitting on dark gray couch wearing chambray blue shirt.

Hi! I'm Lindsay. I'm a maternal mental health therapist, a recipe developer, food writer, and taker of all kinds of pictures. Thank you so much for being here! This blog is about how to take care of yourself and your people without taking anything too seriously.

More about me →

Easy Weeknight Dinners

  • Weeknight Korean Chicken Rice Bowls

  • White ceramic skillet with lemon garlic butter pasta topped with fresh parsley.
    Lemon Garlic Butter Pasta

  • tofu rice bowls
    Pan Fried Tofu with Thai Peanut Sauce

  • Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

Most Popular Recipes

  • Black skillet with sliced steak and shallot sauce.
    Cast Iron New York Strip

  • indian butter chicken served with rice in a white bowl.
    Easy Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

  • homemade hibachi shrimp bowl in white serving bowl with asparagus and white rice.
    3-ingredient Hibachi Shrimp

  • white plate of asparagus casserole with a silver fork.
    BEST Easy Asparagus Casserole

  • Braised Chicken Thighs with Leeks and Lemon
    One-Skillet Chicken and Leeks

  • Brown Butter Blondies

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Emails

  • Sign Up! to get new recipes in your inbox

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Loading Comments...
 

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required