These savory baked beans are loaded with peppers and onions then cooked in the smoker. They’re a great hassle-free side dish to make for your next barbecue.
If you want to elevate your baked beans, you’ve absolutely got to try them in the smoker!
Pit beans, as some call them, are doctored up canned baked beans cooked on the smoker. These beans have rizz, the kids might say! (Probably not, but they might!)
I throw in freshly diced onion, minced garlic, and chopped peppers along with some condiments and sugar and it adds so much flavor.
Adding a few slices of bacon to the top, then cooking low and slow allowing them to take on a gentle smoke flavor, creates the best bbq side dish you’ve ever had – I guarantee you’ll never make baked beans another way again!
It’s very versatile, so feel free to make substitutions with what you have on hand and experiment with your favorite sauces.
I love doubling this recipe for large gatherings and serving it alongside hot dog burnt ends to keep it budget-friendly.
Ingredients
- Canned Beans – Use your favorite brand of canned baked beans.
- Onion – White or yellow onion works best in this recipe.
- Garlic – I use fresh garlic, but you can substitute “jarlic“.
- Peppers – I use bell peppers & jalapeños. You can sub serrano or habanero for more spice, or poblano for no spice.
- Bacon – Thick-cut bacon works best. You can leave it out if you’d prefer.
- Brown Sugar – You can substitute honey, or even hot honey if you like extra heat.
- BBQ Sauce – Any brand works, I like Sweet Baby Ray’s sweet and spicy.
- Mustard – 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar can be substituted.
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Tips
- Add meat like leftover pulled pork or chopped brisket for the ultimate pit beans.
- Want to double this recipe? Put it in a half aluminum pan.
- You can use fire-roasted canned tomatoes in place of the red bell peppers.
- Add a tablespoon of a bbq rub for extra flavor.
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Smoked Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 56 ounces canned baked beans, do not drain
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 jalapenos, diced
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
Instructions
- Pre-heat your smoker to 250 F.
- Add baked beans to a cast iron skillet. Add the rest of the ingredients (except for bacon), and stir to combine.
- Place bacon slices on top, then put in your smoker and cook for about 2 hours – until the beans are heated through and the bacon is cooked. Stir before serving.
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