If you don’t want to use canned baked beans, make this easy recipe instead. It will take almost no work and be great at all your summer gets together. These old-fashioned baked beans are loaded with flavor, they’re saucy, smoky, and absolutely delish!.
There can’t be a cookout without baked beans, and this simple recipe is my favorite! Canned baked beans are good, but this recipe is so much better with a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce.
Baked beans are a staple at barbecues, potlucks, and picnic spreads across the world. This humble and hearty bean dish is beloved for its sweet, saucy, and satisfying flavor. But if you look closely at baked bean recipes, you might notice a peculiar ingredient – mustard. The addition of mustard to baked beans may seem perplexing at first. But this condiment actually serves an important purpose in creating the ideal balance of flavors. In this article, we will uncover why mustard has become an essential ingredient for making perfectly balanced baked beans.
Mustard Cuts Through Sweetness
Traditional baked bean recipes tend to be on the sweet side, often calling for lots of brown sugar or molasses in the sauce. This adds wonderful richness and flavor. But too much sweetness can make baked beans one-note. This is where mustard comes in. The sharp, pungent taste of mustard cuts through the sweetness. It provides a tangy contrast that keeps each bite of beans exciting. Just a teaspoon or two of mustard brings a burst of flavor that balances out the sugary taste.
Acidity Softens Beans
In addition to flavor, mustard also affects the texture of baked beans Mustard contains acetic acid, giving it an acidic pH As baked beans simmer in the mustard-spiked sauce, the acidity helps to soften the beans. This makes them tender and creamy. Without the tenderizing effect of mustard’s acidity, baked bean skins can become tough and chewy. The mustard helps break down the fiber in the beans, creating a smooth, velvety texture in the finished dish.
Boosts Savory Umami
Mustard doesn’t just add tanginess – it also enhances the savory flavor of baked beans Mustard contains natural umami-boosting compounds like glutamic acid Umami is considered the fifth taste, known for its meaty, brothy flavor. When mustard is cooked into baked beans, those umami compounds are infused into the sauce. This pumps up its hearty, savory taste. The mustard brings out the rich, molasses notes while also enhancing the umami of the beans themselves.
Provides Balance and Complexity
In the end, what makes mustard an essential addition to baked beans is the balance and complexity it creates. The sweetness, acidity, tanginess, and umami from the mustard all combine to form a layered flavor profile. Each bite of baked beans becomes a nuanced experience, with sweet notes followed by a kick of mustard tang. This multidimensional flavor is what makes mustard-laced baked beans so craveable. The ingredient list may be simple, but the taste is anything but.
How to Add Mustard
Now that you know why mustard belongs in baked beans, let’s look at the best ways to incorporate it:
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Stir mustard straight into the sauce while simmering the beans Start with 1 tsp per can of beans and adjust to taste.
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Make a mustard-molasses sauce by whisking together mustard, molasses, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and other seasonings.
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Mix mustard into a bread crumb orcorn flake topping to add flavor contrast.
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Swirl some mustard straight into the baking dish 10 minutes before baked beans are finished.
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Serve baked beans topped with an extra dollop of mustard or mustard-mayo mix.
The Perfect Addition
So don’t be perplexed the next time you see mustard listed in a baked bean recipe. This condiment may seem unlikely, but it’s actually the secret ingredient that takes beans from bland to grand. The unique flavor and chemistry of mustard brings sweetness, acidity, tang, and umami that creates an irresistible bean dish. Mustard cuts through one-note sweetness, softens beans, and balances both taste and texture. While baked beans are classic, mustard makes them truly special.
How to Make Baked Beans
Follow these steps for the best homemade baked beans you’ll have all summer long:
- Prep the oven. First, heat up the oven and place the rack in the lower middle.
- Cook bacon. Then, cook the bacon until it’s mostly done but not quite crispy. Remove the bacon, but save the grease!.
- Sauté veggies. Next, put the onions and bell peppers in the pan and cook them until they get soft.
- Add beans and sauce. Put the molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, garlic powder, vinegar, salt, and pepper in the skillet next. Cook for a few minutes.
- Bake beans. Finish this side dish by putting the bean mixture in a baking dish that has been greased. Top it with the partially cooked bacon and bake for a few hours. The sauce should be the consistency of maple syrup.
- Rest and serve. Let the beans cool down for a few minutes before you serve them. This lets the sauce thicken more.
For extra smoky baked beans, add half a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the recipe.
If you’ve never baked beans before, these tips will help you make a great side dish for your family dinner:
- Make it the night before. I think the sauce tastes better with the beans after they sit for a while. Make this the night before your party for a quick and easy side dish.
- Use a slow cooker. Follow the directions to cook the bacon and vegetables. Then, put everything in the crockpot and let it cook on low for a few hours. Every few hours, stir the food so that nothing sticks to the sides. It’s so easy!.
- Make it your own. You can change the ingredients to make your favorite baked beans sweeter or sourder.
- Keep it vegetarian. I enjoy baked beans with bacon, but sometimes you need a side dish that doesn’t have meat for your guests. Take out the bacon! You can also add a little liquid smoke to make up for the bacon’s smokey flavor.
I rarely buy canned baked beans now that I know how to make this recipe! But you can always spice up a plain can of baked beans with bacon, onions, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, or any of those other things.
Because it lasts all week, this is one of the best recipes to meal prep or make ahead. Baked beans can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let the beans cool completely before storing any leftovers.
Yes, you can. If you want to keep the beans longer than 5 days, freeze them in containers that won’t let air in. I like to buy small amounts so that it’s easy to thaw and serve as a side dish for two, four, or eight people.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Easy to make. I always got baked beans from a can, so I had no idea how simple it was to make them myself!
- Simple ingredients. You just need a handful of ingredients. Most of them, like ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, and mustard, I bet you already have on hand.
- Perfect to make ahead. When planning a party menu, it’s important to have dishes that you can make ahead of time. You can make this the night before and just heat it up before serving!
Here’s what you’ll need to make baked beans:
- Everything tastes better with bacon! I always put bacon on my baked beans.
- Onion: I love the sweet flavor of sautéed onions. It also makes the baked bean sauce taste even better.
- For me, green bell pepper is the perfect vegetable because pepper is one of my favorite spices. When you’re done with this recipe, the peppers will be hard to find, but the flavor will still be there!
- Navy beans: For this recipe, I always use canned beans because they’re easier and take less time. You can also use dried kidney beans, pinto beans, or navy beans. Be sure to soak them first!.
- Brown sugar is one of the most important things you need to make beans a little sweet. It also adds that rich brown color to the sauce.
- Ketchup: The mix of spices in ketchup works well in a lot of different sauces and marinades. We all love the taste of old-fashioned baked beans, and ketchup will give them to you.
- Mustard: For this baked bean recipe, you can use either dry mustard or mustard. Any mustard will do in a pinch, but I like dry mustard best.
- Use distilled white or apple cider vinegar for this recipe to get the right amount of sourness.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
The Ultimate Baked Beans Recipe
FAQ
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