Besides being tasty, smoked beans are also a simple side dish that you can bring to a barbecue. These smoked baked beans are slightly sweet and topped with crispy bacon. They go great with any smoked meat!
Smoker recipes are an absolute must for spring and summer. Some people only smoke meat in the smoker, like these smoked chicken wings, smoked boneless chicken thighs, and smoked pork tenderloin. But I love smoked side dishes too. Some of the best smoker recipes are side dishes. Smoker side dishes are simply the best! Especially these smoked baked beans!.
Not sure about you, but whenever I go to a barbecue, there are always baked beans, a good Idaho potato salad, hot dogs, slow-cooked ribs, and some kind of tasty marinated grilled chicken. But if youve never had smoked baked beans, then you are in for a real treat!.
Most of the time, beans are made in the oven, stove top, or a crock pot. Like making this crock pot pinto beans recipe, smoking baked beans in the smoker is simple, quick, and incredibly tasty! The sweetness of the beans combined with the flavor of smoked bacon makes these the best smoked beans ever!
As a backyard pitmaster and smoked meat enthusiast, I’m always on the hunt for amazing sides to complement low and slow barbecue. In my experience, there are few things better than piping hot, smokey baked beans loaded with bacon next to a perfectly smoked brisket or rack of ribs
Over the years, I’ve dialed in my technique for smoking baked beans until I achieved the ideal balance of sweet, tangy and smoky flavors In this comprehensive guide, I’ll share my tips and tricks for smoking mouthwatering baked beans at home.
Why Smoke Baked Beans?
Before jumping into the how-to let’s first go over why smoking takes baked beans to the next level
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Infuses Smoky Flavor – Smoking gives the beans a wonderful smoky taste that pairs perfectly with barbecue.
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Makes Beans Tender – The low and slow smoking helps break down beans until super tender and creamy.
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Adds Depth of Flavor – Smoke infuses the sauce with richness and complexity.
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Ideal BBQ Side Dish – Baked beans are a classic BBQ must-have. Smoking them makes them even better.
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Great Smoker Option – Beans can cook low and slow alongside brisket, pork butt, ribs, etc.
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** Crowd-Pleaser** – Smoky baked beans are always a hit and feed a crowd. Kids and adults love them.
Smoker Baked Beans Ingredients
To make smoked baked beans, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients:
- 2 (28 oz) cans pork and beans
- 6 slices thick cut bacon
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 jalapeños, diced
- 3⁄4 cup barbecue sauce
- 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
- 1⁄4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- 2 Tbsp mustard
I prefer using canned beans for convenience, but you could certainly soak and cook dried beans if you prefer. Canned beans make this recipe fast and easy.
Step-by-Step Guide to Smoking Baked Beans
Follow these simple steps for outstanding smoked baked beans every time:
1. Prepare Ingredients
Chop the onion and jalapeños. Cut the bacon into pieces. Open and drain the cans of pork beans into a bowl.
2. Cook the Bacon
Add the bacon to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the fat starts to render but before the bacon fully crisps. Remove to a plate.
3. Sauté the Onions & Jalapeños
Leave the bacon grease in the skillet. Add the onions and jalapeños and sauté for 3-5 minutes until softened.
4. Make the Beans
Add the drained beans and all remaining ingredients to the skillet. Stir well to incorporate.
5. Smoke the Beans
Place the skillet of beans directly on the smoker grates. Smoke at 225-250°F for 2.5-3 hours until thickened.
6. Finish & Serve
Remove beans from the smoker once tender and thickened. Garnish with extra chopped bacon if desired. Enjoy!
Helpful Tips for Smoked Baked Beans
To take your smoked baked beans to the next level, keep these tips in mind:
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Use a cast iron skillet – Makes it easy and contains the beans well when smoking.
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Smoke at 225-250°F – Low and slow allows beans to tenderize and absorb flavor.
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Cook for 2.5-3 hours – This gives you tender beans in a thickened sauce.
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Add spices like chili powder, cumin, Worcestershire, etc to the sauce for more flavor.
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Swap the meat from bacon to ham or sausage.
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Make it Texas-style with brisket, molasses and spicy chiles.
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Add a meaty element like pulled pork or brisket burnt ends.
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Toss in diced bell peppers for extra flavor and texture.
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Finish with garnishes like scallions, cheddar cheese or fried onions.
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Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days.
Common Smoking Wood Choices
Any sweet, mild wood works excellently for smoking baked beans. My top wood choices are:
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Hickory – Classic smoke flavor.
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Oak – Strong but balanced smoke.
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Pecan – Sweet and nutty undertones.
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Cherry – Fruity, lighter smoke.
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Apple – Mild and sweeter smoke.
I don’t recommend mesquite as it can be overpowering. For a foolproof smoke, hickory and oak are your best bets.
More Delicious Smoked Side Dishes
Beyond baked beans, smoking lends outstanding flavor to all kinds of sides. Some of my other favorite smoked sides include:
- Smoked Mac and Cheese
- Smoked Deviled Eggs
- Smoked Potato Salad
- Smoked Corn on the Cob
- Smoked Cornbread
- Smoked Cheesy Cauliflower
Mix up your barbecue spreads by swapping out a few classic sides for smoked iterations. It takes the flavor to new heights!
Make Smoky Baked Beans Part of Your Next BBQ
Now that you’re armed with the full process for smoking baked beans, you can deliver the perfect smoky, sweet and tangy side to complement your next backyard barbecue.
Smoking baked beans does require some monitoring to ensure the beans reach tender perfection, but the extra effort pays off in flavor compared to oven-baked beans.
If you are short on time though, you can easily adapt this recipe to cook entirely in the oven. Just mix up the ingredients in a casserole dish, cover, and bake at 325°F for 1-1.5 hours.
However you make them, smoky baked beans never fail to satisfy a crowd. The bacon, sweetness and smoke make them an instant classic.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the smoker accordingly and preheat to 225°F.
Step 2: Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well to combine.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into a disposable aluminum pan or cast iron skillet. Step 4: Cut the bacon into 2-inch pieces that haven’t been cooked yet and place them on top of the beans.
Step 5: Place the dish in smoker, uncovered. Close the smoker and let them smoke low and slow for 2 hours on 225°F.
Step 6: When done, pull the smoked beans out of the smoker. The bacon pieces should be cooked and be golden brown around the edges. Stir with a spoon so that the smoked bacon gets mixed in.
That’s it! A pan of homemade smoked baked beans that go great with BBQ.
Whenever I smoke meat at 225°F to 250°F, I like to make these smoked beans. They go really well with these smoked chicken leg quarters, smoked burnt ends, and smoked pulled pork!
My go to for this recipe is pecan, cherry, or apple. Any type of wood will work except mesquite. It tends to overpower the flavor.
Yes! Start by preheating the oven to 350°F. Pour the can of baked beans into a 9×13 Pyrex dish. Mix together the brown sugar, molasses, onion, and mustard. Cut bacon strips into 2″ pieces and place on top of the beans. Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Extra Smoke Flavor—If you want a little more smoke flavor, put 1 tablespoon of liquid smoke in the oven’s water pan if you have one.
- Wood Chips vs. Wood Chunks – Either work great with this recipe. If you use wood chips, they should be completely gone after two hours.
- To Cover or Not Cover—I don’t put aluminum foil over these beans while they smoke. Since they are only smoking for two hours, I want the smoke to go all the way through the dish. Most of the time, when I smoke side dish recipes, I’m already smoking some kind of meat. I like to put the bean pan on a rack right under the meat that I’m smoking so that some of the meat juices fall into the beans. This enhances the flavor a lot!.
- Crispy Bacon—Broil the dish on high for one to two minutes in the oven to make the bacon even crispier.
- Low and Slow: I believe that food should be smoked at a lower temperature and for a longer time. I smoke them for about 2 hours on 225°F. Turn up the heat to 250°F if you need the beans to smoke faster, but don’t go any higher. Theyll be done in about 1. 5 hours at this temperature.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- VanCamps Pork and Beans are the best beans for this recipe because they come in a sweet sauce with a hint of tomato.
- Bacon gives food a lot of flavor and a smokey flavor in every bite!
- Onion – balances the sweetness and adds a savory flavor.
- Brown Sugar: To add more sweetness, use light brown sugar.
- Mustard – helps balance the sweetness.
- Molasses – adds a depth of flavor. It gives the recipe a rich, sweet, and slightly sour taste that makes the whole thing taste better.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
- When you smoke, use a disposable aluminum pan or a cast iron skillet.
- For a different take on pork and beans, try using Bush’s baked beans and Grillin’ Beans instead.
- To lower the fat, use turkey bacon.
- Add a chopped jalapeño to make it a little spicier. Put some of the seeds in it to make it even spicier!
- For more onion flavor, use a red onion.
- Try adding 1 Tablespoon of barbecue sauce for extra zest.
Barbecue Baked Beans Smoked on the Pit | HowToBBQRight
FAQ
How long to smoke bacon at 225?
How long do smoked baked beans last in the fridge?
How much liquid smoke do you put in beans?