Sweet-And-Sour Baked Beans
Submitted by Ripa
Slow cooker baked beans from scratch with bacon, molasses, pineapple chunks, dill pickles, and green olives. A tangy, smoky, loaded side dish that simmers all day long.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
COOK
READY
16 hrsThese aren’t your grandma’s plain baked beans. Well, they might be, if your grandma was a bit of a wild card in the kitchen.
Dried navy beans get soaked overnight and slow-cooked until tender, then loaded up with bacon, molasses, brown sugar, tomato sauce, and a splash of Tabasco.
Here’s where it gets interesting: pineapple chunks, chopped dill pickles, and sliced green olives all go in for a sweet-and-sour twist that sounds outrageous but absolutely works.
The slow cooker does all the work. You just stir, set it, and come back to a pot of thick, saucy, deeply flavored beans.
Kitchen Tips
- Soak the beans overnight in the slow cooker itself. Saves a dish and they’re ready to cook first thing in the morning.
- Don’t drain the bacon fat. Saute the onions and garlic right in those drippings for maximum smoky flavor.
- Trust the pickles and olives. They sound strange, but the briny, vinegary bite is what makes these beans unforgettable.
- This recipe takes all day, so plan accordingly. Start the soak the night before for beans ready by dinnertime.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash the navy beans thoroughly and place in 3½-quart slow cooker.
Add the water and soak overnight.
The next day, cover the slow cooker and cook on the high setting for 3 hours or until tender.
Drain the beans and set aside.
Fry the bacon in a 10-inch skillet, over medium heat, until crisp.
Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.
Sauté the onion and garlic, in the bacon drippings, until tender.
Stir in the tomato sauce, chili sauce, molasses, brown sugar, salt, pepper and Tabasco Sauce.
Cook, over high heat, until the mixture comes to a boil.
Remove from the heat.
Combine the beans, tomato sauce mixture, pineapple, pickles, and olives in the slow cooker, blending well.
Cover and cook on the high setting for 3½ to 3½ hours.
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