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Smoky Maple Bacon Baked Beans for Your Labor Day Cookout

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No-soak maple bacon baked beans deepened with brewed coffee and finished uncovered for a caramelized, smoky top.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 (15 oz) cans navy or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark amber
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee
  • 1/3 cup ketchup
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and the fat is fully rendered, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
  2. Add the onion to the bacon fat and cook until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the beans, maple syrup, molasses, coffee, ketchup, mustard, vinegar, smoked paprika, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, then fold in two-thirds of the crispy bacon, reserving the rest for topping.
  4. Cover the skillet and bake for 45 minutes.
  5. Uncover and bake 30 to 40 minutes more, until the sauce has thickened and the top layer of beans is dark and slightly caramelized at the edges.
  6. Scatter the reserved bacon over the top, season with salt to taste, and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Render the bacon fully before adding the onion — half-cooked bacon fat makes the sauce taste flat instead of smoky. The uncovered bake is what builds the caramelized top, so resist the urge to leave the lid on the whole time. Make ahead: the beans reheat beautifully and actually taste better the next day, covered, at 325°F for 20 minutes. For a spicier pot, stir in a spoonful of minced chipotle in adobo with the sauce.

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