How To Feed A Loon

  • About Us
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Asian
    • Breads and Doughs
    • Cajun / Creole / Louisiana
    • Breakfast / Brunch
    • Comfort Food
    • Delectable Desserts
    • Entrees / Mains
    • Instant Pot
    • Italian
    • Pizza
    • Rubs, Spices and Sauces
    • Soups & Salads
    • Sides
    • Seafood
    • Southern
    • Mexican / Tex-Mex / Cal-Mex
    • Thanksgiving
    • Vegetarian
  • Videos
    • Recipe Videos
    • Web Stories
  • Work With Us
  • Contact
  • **Premium Access**
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Grilling
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Premium
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Grilling
  • Recipes
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Premium
×
Home » Recipe Index » Scrumptious Sides

Southern Baked Beans

Published: May 23, 2019 · Modified: Mar 2, 2025 by The Loon · This post may contain affiliate links

593 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Bluesky
Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Southern Baked Beans.  Truly a beautiful thing.

This is one of the best side dishes you’ll make. We promise you that.

Even folks who don’t like beans, rave to us about this recipe.

Stir a batch of cooked Southern Baked Beans with a wooden spoon in a large cast-iron skillet.

SOUTHERN BAKED BEANS ARE EASY TO PREPARE

You can prepare this dish in a Dutch oven, or, as we like to do, in a large cast iron skillet. Just make sure you are able to cover the oven-ready vessel.

And you’ll be surprised how simple it is to prepare these amazing baked beans.

Watch us show you how much fun it is to prepare Southern Baked Beans at home!

 

The ingredients come together to bring that classic BBQ taste.

Savory matched against sweet just can’t be beat.

And did we mention smoked bacon and brisket? Oh yes we did.

Bowls of ingredients ranging from tomatoes, BBQ sauce, brown sugar and brisket for baked beans.

CANNED BEANS WORK PERFECTLY FOR THIS DISH

If you were making Boston Baked Beans, then I would recommend soaking the beans overnight and then slow simmering for a minimum of 6 hours in a low-temp oven.

But these Southern Baked Beans are so loaded with flavor, canned beans are just fine!

We love to go with Great Northern White beans!

A hand holding drained and rinsed Great Northern white beans.

In a large skillet, start by cooking 10 strips of you favorite type of bacon.

We love maple black pepper bacon, but you go with your favorite. Smoked will always add more flavor.

Just as the bacon starts to render fat, add the chopped onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

Cook smoked bacon and onion in a large skillet as a base for the baked beans.

GENTLY COMBINE ALL THE INGREDIENTS BEFORE BAKING

After all the ingredients have been added, gently mix everything together until the beans are nicely coated.

We seldom have overflow as the beans cook in the oven, but just for good measure, we add a large baking sheet on the rack under the beans…just in case there is spillage.

The beans are so beautiful, even at this point…but just wait. It gets so much better!

Pre-cooked beans in a sauce in a large cast iron skillet for Southern Baked Beans.

After the beans have baked for a good 2 hours, carefully remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes.

Get ready to salivate as you remove the lid, or the foil, from these succulent Southern Baked Beans.

Give the beans a good stir with a wooden spoon. Just incredible.

Stir the baked beans with a wooden spoon after they have baked.

SOUTHERN BAKED BEANS ARE THE PERFECT SIDE DISH

These baked beans are delicious, they are practically a meal by themselves.

But paired with a cold beer and your favorite BBQ dishes, you’ll be in Southern bliss.

Other BBQ favorite side dishes are:

Best-Ever Potato Salad
Slow-Cooker Corn on the Cobb
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
The Ultimate Macaroni and Cheese
Best-Ever Yellow Squash Casserole

These beans re-heat beautifully for about 45 minutes in a low-temp oven of 200°F.

Now, hurry, and make these incredible Southern Baked Beans!

Southern Baked Beans are spooned into to crocks for eating next to a cold beer.

Southern baked beans in a cast iron skillet with a wooden spoon.

Southern Baked Beans

The perfect BBQ side dish. These truly will be the bast baked beans you've ever had. Bring these to a BBQ, and you'll be very popular. We promise. 100% Loon Approved.
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 399kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Ingredients

  • 10 slices smoked bacon roughly chopped
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cups barbecue sauce
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1 cup brisket roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 4 16 oz. cans Great Northern White Beans, or Navy drained and rinsed
  • 1 16 oz. can whole, peeled tomatoes drained and roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon dry ground mustard
  • 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Pre-heat over to 325°F.
  • Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until bacon is crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but about 2 tablespoon of bacon grease.
  • Heat the bacon grease and then add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the cooked bacon, BBQ sauce, brown sugar, beef stock, brisket, molasses, maple syrup, beans, tomatoes, mustard, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
  • Cover with foil and place in oven and bake for 90 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes. Remove lid/foil and stir with wooden spoon. Sauce will have thickened. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 1736mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 161IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

More 4th of July

  • A straight-on view of four homemade oatmeal cookies stacked on top of each other on a piece of parchment paper with other similar cookies nearby.
    Homemade Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
  • An overhead view of two pieces of Nashville hot chicken resting on slices of white bread with dill pickle slices scattered around all in a paper-lined basket.
    Nashville Hot Chicken
  • A straight-on view of a slice of mixed berry bread pudding with orange sauce sitting on a white dessert plate with a glass mug of creamed coffee in the background.
    Wild Berry Bread Pudding with Orange Sauce
  • An overhead straight-down view of a small white bowl filled with fresh mango salsa with tortilla chips and limes wedges surrounding it.
    Homemade Mango Salsa

Comments

  1. Bill Davis says

    July 28, 2023 at 10:13 am

    5 stars
    We have made this a few time and everyone loved them, I would like to know if I cut this in half would I also cut the baking time in half?

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      July 30, 2023 at 10:46 am

      Hi Bill! Yes! You can cut the recipe in half, no problem. (We do that all the time). Keep the bake time the same! Let us know how everything turns out! And thanks for the GREAT review! We truly appreciate that so very much!!!

      Reply
  2. Marie says

    May 27, 2023 at 10:23 pm

    5 stars
    OK guys!!!! You’ve done it again. Seriously, the best BBQ beans I’ve ever had, let alone made!! The brisket is a pro move and such a delicious addition. This recipe is a definite keeper!!!!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      June 01, 2023 at 6:37 pm

      Hi Marie!! Woo hoo! We are so so thrilled you made the Southern baked beans and LOVED them! Thank you so much for sharing and for the GREAT review!! xoxo

      Reply
  3. Ericka says

    April 04, 2021 at 9:37 pm

    All sorts of things went wrong when I was making this. I didn’t have syrup, I burnt the bacon, I was cooking it with the How to Feed A Loon slow roasted pork shoulder and the roasting pan was too big to put a cast iron in the oven so I had to put the beans in a tiny glass loaf pan, and I also had to cook at 350 instead of 325 in order to cook the roast correctly. I was SO worried the beans would turn out awful. These beans are probably the best beans I’ve had in my entire life and I am a native Texan and BBQ snob. I topped the bean off with How to Feed a Loon corn on the cob. Perfect Easter dinner!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      April 07, 2021 at 2:28 pm

      Ericka! So sorry for the delayed response…and so sorry that things were a little bumpy along the way…but YOU ARE A ROCKSTAR in the kitchen!!! We are THRILLED everything turns out so good!!! Sounds like you made a feast fit for kings and queens!! Woo hoo!!! We’re so glad you stuck with it and it all turned out so perfectly! And thank you for letting us know!!! All the very best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  4. Lili says

    January 10, 2021 at 5:47 pm

    Great recipe. I’ve made this 3 times and I get rave reviews. Love the combination of flavors. It’s dinner tonight!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      January 11, 2021 at 4:23 pm

      Hi Lili!! That is soooo awesome!! We LOVE these baked beans so much, too, and we are thrilled you are loving them, too! Thanks so much for letting us know! All the best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  5. Jess says

    October 25, 2020 at 12:18 am

    5 stars
    Wow!!!! I made this recipe for a family cook out and everyone loved it! It was a major hit…. Thank you for the great share.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      October 25, 2020 at 2:13 pm

      Hi Jess! We are so thrilled to hear you loved our recipe for Southern baked beans! We love them so much, too!! Thank you so much for letting us know and for the wonderful review! That means the world to us!!! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  6. Lisa Feinson says

    May 25, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    Oh YES. I do love a good baked bean. We can’t get Great Northern or Navy beans over here, sadly, so I’ll need to go with cannellini, I think.

    Reply
5 from 3 votes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome!

Kris & Wesley (The Loon) live for fun, food, and fabulousness. "How to Feed a Loon" is a celebration of just that. Come join us on this joyous culinary ride.

More about us

Memorial Day Cookout

  • Three grilled chicken leg quarters on an oval platter surround by grilled lemon halves and fresh herbs.
    Best Grilled Chicken

  • A straight-on view of grilled vegetables with Italian dressing all resting on a large bamboo oval platter.
    Grilled Vegetables with Italian Dressing

  • Black and bleu burger on a white plate
    Rockin’ Black and Bleu Burger

  • Lamb lollipops in a white bowl
    Lamb Lollipops

  • A grilled whole beer-can chicken sitting on a cutting board next to a carving knife and a bowl of BBQ sauce
    Grilled Beer-Can Chicken with BBQ Sauce

  • A straight-on view of a grilled balsamic glazed pork chop that is sitting next to a pile of roasted vegetables with another plate of the same in the background.
    Grilled Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

Popular Recipes

  • best-ever chicken salad recipe
    Best-Ever Chicken Salad

  • A white soup filled with roasted tomato basil soup next to sliced grilled cheese sandwiches.
    Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

  • Mahi Mahi tacos on a wooden table in a taco holder
    Amazing Mahi Mahi Tacos

  • A lemon wedge being squeezed onto a platter of chicken francese
    Chicken Francese

  • Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe
    Southern Shrimp and Cheesy Grits

  • Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder on a platter with a side of gravy
    Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Footer

↑ back to top

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About Us
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 How to Feed a Loon • This website contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on a product link, we may receive a commission in return. How To Feed a Loon is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

593 shares

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.