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Doctored Up Baked Beans

This is how you turn canned beans into something that tastes like you've been slow-cooking all day. The bacon fat does most of the work here - plus crispy meat and a hit of brown sugar on top.
prep time15 minutes
cook time55 minutes
total time1 hour 10 minutes
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Ingredients

Ingredients (~6 servings)

  • 4 strips bacon, diced
  • 6 oz smoked sausage, like kielbasa, sliced into rounds
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cans baked beans (I like Bush's classic), 28 oz
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup vinegar-based hot sauce, like Frank's
  • 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, divided
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

  • Dice bacon and cook slowly in cast iron skillet until crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Remove bacon, keep fat in pan.
  • Brown sausage in bacon fat for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add onions and sauté 2-3 minutes.
  • Mix in beans, ketchup, hot sauce, 1/3 cup brown sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and bacon.
  • Simmer 5 minutes.
  • Sprinkle remaining brown sugar on top.
  • Bake at 400F for 40 minutes until top is caramelized.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

Use Bush's classic baked beans for best results.