Granny Fearing's Kentucky Baked Beans

This is a family recipe with a Southern soul. Granny Fearing’s baked beans start with canned pork and beans dressed up with a generous amount of ketchup, over a cup of packed brown sugar, molasses, yellow mustard, and a splash of cider vinegar.

The secret ingredient is the sweet gherkin pickle juice. It adds a tangy sweetness you can’t quite place but would definitely miss. It works with the vinegar to balance all that brown sugar and molasses, keeping the beans from tipping into candy territory.

Thick-cut bacon strips laid in a crisscross pattern on top render their fat into the beans during the covered bake, then crisp up beautifully during the last 30 minutes uncovered. The house smells incredible. These work hot off the stove or cold from the fridge the next day, and they’re even better made a day ahead.

Chef Tips

• Use thick-sliced smoked bacon. Thin bacon crisps too fast and shrivels into nothing before the beans are done.
• Cover with foil for the first hour. This traps steam and lets the flavors meld. Uncovering for the last 30 minutes crisps the bacon and thickens the sauce.
• Stir the beans before covering to distribute the brown sugar evenly. Settled sugar can scorch on the bottom.
• Make a day ahead if you can. The flavors deepen overnight in the fridge.

Variations

• Add diced jalapeno or a teaspoon of cayenne for a spicy Kentucky kick.
• Stir in a can of drained kidney beans or black beans for more substance.
• Replace molasses with sorghum syrup for a truly Kentucky-authentic version.