Need a great, easy side dish recipe just as perfect for a grilling party as it is for a cozy winter’s meal? Slow Cooker Barbecue Beans with Bacon does the trick with luscious sweet, tangy barbecue flavor and no effort thanks to the slow cooker (no heating up the kitchen either)! Plus everything is better with bacon!
Fourth of July is creeping up quickly for me this year. It’s been a busy few weeks and I’ve spent four days this week in southern California at a food photography and styling workshop. Having just returned to a Friday full of appointments it doesn’t leave me much time to pull together a festive menu.
My goal is to not cook anything in the oven or for any length of time on the stove top to keep the house cool. It’s a perfect occasion for Slow Cooker Barbecue Beans with Bacon. A great side dish anytime without any fuss.
I was just talking to a friend last week about summer cooking. She was saying they really need to be cooking more regularly rather than dining out or getting grab-and-go food. She also doesn’t want to turn on the stove not wanting to heat her house up more than it already is with summer heat.
I was suggesting that she really consider more slow cooker recipes; that most people think of slow cookers just for the cold weather months but that’s just not the only time to use them. They are great to not heat up the kitchen and to allow you your day, not requiring much preparation.
Slow cooker recipes have expanded to include all genres of food from desserts to main dishes and everything in between. Pinterest is a fantastic source of great ideas (I have a board dedicated to slow cooker recipes). It took me awhile before I really would regularly remember to use my slow cooker in the summer.
Today I’m sharing a great lightly spicy Slow Cooker Barbecue Bean with Bacon recipe. Barbecue beans are a great side dish for most summer cookouts as well as soul-warming in winter. I like to use some barbecue sauce in the recipe and embellish with the ingredients of homemade barbecue sauce to really get a tasty depth of flavor. The addition of bacon brings a smoky flavor and since it is precooked not much extra fat is added to the beans.
Recipe
Slow Cooker Barbecue Beans with Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 medium Yellow Onion , peeled and chopped
- 12 ounces Bacon , chopped
- 4 15- ounce cans Great Northern Beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Barbecue Sauce (prepared or homemade)
- ½ cup Ketchup
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup Molasses (light)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dry Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon Hot Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Liquid Smoke
Instructions
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, combine the onions and bacon. Cook, stirring periodically until the onions are translucent and the bacon is cooked (it will not be crisp); 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
- In a 4-quart or larger slow cooker, add the beans, barbecue sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, paprika and liquid smoke. Add the cooked onion and bacon and stir the mixture together. Cook on LOW for 4 hours.
NancyB says
This recipe arrived at just the right time, so many of us here like beans, especially at our annual BBQ on the 4th. I forget about the crockpot in summer, too. I have a roaster out in my “summer kitchen”, aka the garage, that gets lots of use in the hot months. It’s great for anything that will fit; bread, cake, potatoes, veggie squash, etc. Thanks for another great recipe!
Toni Dash says
The slow cooker in summer does feel counter intuitive I agree Nancy. But I’ve put deliberate thought into use it more even for desserts and it has made live so much easier and more delicious!
Brandy says
Yes – everything IS better with bacon! This sounds like a yummy recipe. I may have to try it, but might regret doing so with 3 males in my house! 🙂
Marcie W. says
Everything’s better with bacon right? Baked beans are totally a staple at any summer barbecue.
Val says
I must make these, they sound delicious! Love the idea of beans with bacon!
Sarah Bailey says
Oh yum this sounds so good – there is definitely a piece of me that loves a bean meal. x
Kelly Hutchinson says
My husband could eat baked beans all day long. I never thought of making them in the slow cooker. Yum!
Pam says
These sound so good. I was just looking for recipes for our Fourth of July cookout on Monday.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I can’t wait to make these! I love barbecue beans, and I love bacon. Plus, the fact that I can make it in the slow cooker sold me!
Monica says
How perfect and delicious for summer! I just remembered how much I love the sweetness of baked beans. 🙂
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
Boston baked beans are a staple of any cookout or family get together around here. Bacon makes them even better!