The Ultimate Smoked Baked Beans: Your Go-To BBQ Side Dish for Unforgettable Flavor

Prepare to elevate your barbecue game with these incredibly tasty smoked baked beans! This recipe takes a classic side dish and transforms it into a show-stopping masterpiece, boasting a depth of flavor that will leave your guests asking for more. We combine three different varieties of beans, each contributing its unique texture, with crispy, savory bacon and sweet, tender onions. All these ingredients are then enveloped in a luscious, homemade sweet and savory sauce before being slow-smoked to perfection. The result is a dish that’s rich, complex, and imbued with an irresistible smoky essence, offering a unique twist on traditional baked beans that truly sets them apart.

Close-up of perfectly smoked baked beans in a large cast-iron skillet, featuring visible bacon bits and a large wooden serving spoon.

What Makes This Smoked Baked Bean Recipe So Good

Unrivaled Flavor Profile: These smoked baked beans are an explosion of incredible flavors. They hit all the right notes: perfectly smoky from the low-and-slow cooking, delightfully sweet from brown sugar and molasses, and deeply savory thanks to bacon and Worcestershire sauce. Each spoonful offers a harmonious blend that is utterly delicious and incredibly satisfying. The addition of crispy bacon pieces and finely chopped onions also provides an amazing textural contrast, making every bite a delightful experience. This isn’t just a side; it’s a centerpiece of flavor.
The Perfect Addition to Any Summer Cookout: If you own a smoker, this is an absolute must-try recipe for your next summer gathering or backyard barbecue. It’s surprisingly easy to prepare, considering the gourmet results, and it’s guaranteed to be a crowd-plepleaser. Your guests will rave about this unique side dish, which perfectly complements a wide array of grilled and smoked mains. Serve these flavorful beans alongside bacon-wrapped hot dogs, juicy buffalo burgers, a refreshing steak salad, or succulent grilled ribs for a truly epic barbecue spread. Don’t forget classic pairings like a side of creamy coleslaw or a hearty potato salad to complete your feast.
Homemade Sauce for Superior Taste: What truly elevates these smoked baked beans is the meticulously crafted homemade sauce. Unlike store-bought varieties that can be overly sweet or lack complexity, our sauce strikes a perfect balance of tang, sweetness, and spice. Ingredients like ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses combine to create a rich, thick, and incredibly flavorful base that permeates every bean with deliciousness. The smoked paprika further enhances the smoky profile, ensuring a cohesive and deeply satisfying dish that tastes genuinely homemade.

Expert Chef’s Tips for Perfect Smoked Baked Beans

Choose Your Beans Wisely: While this recipe features pinto, great northern, and kidney beans for a delightful variety of textures and colors, feel free to customize based on your preferences or what you have on hand. Pinto beans offer a creamy texture, great northern beans are slightly firmer, and kidney beans provide a hearty bite. This combination ensures a dynamic mouthfeel. However, you can absolutely substitute with black beans for an earthier flavor, cannellini beans for a buttery texture, or navy beans, which are traditionally used in classic baked bean recipes. The key is to select beans that complement each other and your taste, making the recipe truly yours. Remember to drain and rinse all canned beans thoroughly to remove excess sodium and starchy liquid.
Achieving the Ideal Sauce Consistency: The homemade sauce for these smoked baked beans is intentionally thick and rich, designed to cling to every bean and deliver maximum flavor. However, if you prefer a saucier consistency—perhaps for sopping up with cornbread or serving over rice—it’s incredibly easy to adjust. After the smoking process is complete, simply add 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water or hot chicken broth to the skillet. Stir it in thoroughly, and you’ll find the beans become perfectly saucier without diluting the incredible flavor. This trick is also invaluable when reheating leftovers, as baked beans tend to thicken considerably as they cool. A splash of warm liquid will bring them back to their original glory.
Mastering the Smoking Process: The beauty of smoked baked beans lies in the infusion of that characteristic smoky flavor. You can set your smoker anywhere from 225℉ to 250℉. Smoking them for approximately 1 1/2 hours will impart a delightful smoky flavor that is noticeable but not overwhelming, making it palatable for a wider audience. For those who crave a more intense, robust smoky essence, extend the smoking time to 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Just be sure to stir the beans occasionally (every 30-45 minutes) to ensure even smoke distribution and prevent the edges from drying out. Experiment with different wood chips or pellets, such as hickory for a strong, classic smoke, applewood for a milder, sweeter note, or pecan for a rich, nutty aroma, to further customize your results. The right wood choice can truly enhance the depth of flavor in your smoked baked beans.

Overhead view of a cast-iron skillet filled with perfectly cooked smoked baked beans, ready to serve with a wooden spoon.

More Delicious Recipes Perfect For Your Next Barbecue

Looking to round out your BBQ menu? Pair these incredible smoked baked beans with other fantastic grilled and smoked dishes that are sure to impress. From tender vegetables to savory meats and delightful desserts, these recipes will complement your cookout perfectly:

Grilled Broccolini: A vibrant, slightly charred vegetable side.
Smoked Potato: Another wonderful, smoky side dish.
Mesquite Grilled Chicken: Flavorful chicken that pairs beautifully with the beans.
Smoked Asparagus: Simple yet elegant, with a hint of smoke.
Grilled Peaches Recipe with Honey: A sweet and smoky dessert or side.
White Bean Salad: A lighter, refreshing bean option.
Grilled Beef Ribs: A hearty main that stands up to the rich beans.
3-Ingredient Banana Pudding: A simple, comforting dessert to finish your meal.

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Smoked Baked Beans

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 1 hour 45 minutes

Total: 2 hours

This recipe for homemade smoked baked beans features a delightful medley of pinto, great northern, and kidney beans, combined with crispy bacon, sweet onions, and a rich, sweet, and savory homemade sauce. The mixture is then smoked for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, infusing every bite with an irresistible smoky depth, making it the ultimate BBQ side dish.

Cheryl Malik Cheryl Malik

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8 servings

Ingredients

For the Baked Beans

▢ 5-6 slices bacon chopped into ½-inch pieces
▢ 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped, yielding about 1 cup
▢ 2-3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
▢ 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans drained and thoroughly rinsed
▢ 1 15-ounce can great northern beans drained and thoroughly rinsed
▢ 1 15-ounce can kidney beans or navy beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed

For the Homemade Sauce

▢ ¼ cup ketchup your preferred brand
▢ ¼ packed cup brown sugar light or dark brown sugar
▢ 1 tablespoon yellow mustard for a tangy kick
▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar adds brightness
▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce use gluten-free if needed
▢ 2 tablespoons molasses for deep, rich sweetness
▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika enhances smoky flavor
▢ ½ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
▢ ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper or more, to taste
▢ ½ cup water plus additional as needed for desired sauce consistency

Get Recipe Ingredients

Equipment

fine mesh strainer or colander
large cast iron skillet (oven and smoker safe)
Wooden spoon
2 small bowls
paper towel
whisk
smoker (pellet, electric, or charcoal smoker)

Instructions

Begin by preheating your smoker to a temperature of 250℉ (120°C). Allow it to reach and stabilize at this temperature for at least 15-20 minutes before adding the food.
In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: ketchup, brown sugar, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, and ½ cup water. Whisk everything together thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set this flavorful homemade sauce aside.
Place your large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat on your stovetop. Add the chopped bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until the bacon pieces are almost crispy but still slightly pliable. This usually takes about 5-7 minutes. You want them cooked through but not overly brittle, as they will continue to cook in the smoker.
Line a small bowl or plate with a few sheets of paper towels. Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, use a wooden spoon or slotted spoon to carefully remove the bacon from the skillet, allowing the excess grease to drain back into the pan. Transfer the cooked bacon to the prepared paper towel-lined bowl to absorb any remaining grease. Set the bacon aside.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the finely chopped yellow onions to the hot skillet, utilizing the rendered bacon fat. Cook the onions, stirring often, until they become translucent and tender, which typically takes about 6-7 minutes. This step is crucial for developing the sweet base for your beans.
Once the onions are softened, add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the skillet. Mix the tomato paste thoroughly with the onions and garlic, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring constantly. This brief cooking time helps to deepen the flavor of the tomato paste and remove any raw taste.
Return the cooked bacon to the skillet with the onions and garlic. Next, add the drained and rinsed pinto, great northern, and kidney beans. Pour in the prepared homemade sauce. Stir all the ingredients together thoroughly until the beans are evenly coated with the rich sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Carefully transfer the skillet directly to your preheated smoker. Smoke the baked beans for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours, depending on your desired level of smokiness. Make sure to stir the beans halfway through the smoking process (around the 45-minute to 1-hour mark) to ensure even heat distribution and consistent smoke flavor throughout.
Once done, carefully remove the hot skillet from the smoker. Give the baked beans a final stir. For those who prefer extra saucy beans, this is the time to add ½ to 1 cup of warm water or chicken broth to the skillet and stir until fully combined and the desired consistency is achieved. Serve these delicious smoked baked beans warm as a sensational side dish with your favorite barbecue entrees.

Notes

Make it Gluten Free: To ensure this recipe is entirely gluten-free, carefully select a Worcestershire sauce that is certified gluten-free. Most traditional Worcestershire sauces contain malt vinegar, which is derived from barley. Look for brands that explicitly state “gluten-free” on their label.
Leftovers: Any leftover smoked baked beans can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When reheating, the sauce may thicken further. To restore a saucier consistency, add a splash of warm water or chicken broth as you gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing Instructions: Smoked baked beans freeze beautifully! Allow the beans to cool completely, then transfer them to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Without a Smoker: While the smoking process is key to this recipe’s unique flavor, you can still achieve a delicious baked bean dish if you don’t have a smoker. Prepare the beans as instructed up to step 6. Instead of transferring to a smoker, bake the skillet in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 45-60 minutes, or until bubbling and heated through. To add a hint of smoky flavor, increase the smoked paprika to 1.5 teaspoons, or add a few drops of liquid smoke to the sauce mixture.

Nutrition Information

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.