Make smoked baked beans with four cans of beans, a savory molasses sauce, and mild hardwood smoke. Cook them uncovered in a heavy-duty foil pan at 250°F for 2 to 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
This smoked baked beans recipe makes 6 to 8 servings. The beans are ready when they are tender and creamy, while the sauce looks thick, glossy, and slow to spread across the pan.
Smoked Baked Beans Recipe: Four 15-Ounce Cans, Sauce, and Smoker Wood
For the beans:
- Four 15-ounce cans plain navy beans or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
For the vegetarian sauce:
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth, plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
Use apple or cherry wood for a gentle, slightly sweet smoke. Oak gives the beans a deeper flavor, while hickory works well if used sparingly. Avoid heavy smoke for the entire cook; beans absorb smoke quickly, and too much can make the sauce bitter.
Assemble the Pan for Smoking Beans in a Heavy-Duty Foil Pan
Preheat the smoker to 250°F. Set a heavy-duty 9-by-13-inch foil pan on a rimmed baking sheet for support. The broad, shallow pan gives the sauce more surface area, helping it thicken while the beans absorb smoke.
Add the drained beans, diced onion, and garlic to the pan. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, vinegar, vegetable broth, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, smoked paprika, chili powder, pepper, and salt.
Pour the sauce over the beans and fold gently until every bean is coated. Spread the mixture into an even layer. Do not cover the pan. An uncovered surface is important for developing smoke flavor and reducing the sauce.
Smoker Baked Beans: Smoke at 250°F for 2–3 Hours
Place the pan in the smoker, keeping it away from the hottest area if your smoker has uneven heat. Maintain the cooking temperature as close to 250°F as possible. Smoke the beans uncovered for 2 to 3 hours.
During the first hour, the sauce will loosen as the onions soften and the beans release moisture. The beans will gradually take on a darker color and a more pronounced wood-fired flavor. If your smoker produces very strong smoke, use a smaller amount of wood after the first 45 to 60 minutes.
Begin checking the pan after 90 minutes. The exact cooking time depends on the pan depth, outdoor temperature, smoker type, and how quickly your cooker recovers after opening. Keep the lid closed between checks so the smoker remains stable.
If the top begins drying before the sauce thickens, stir in 2 to 4 tablespoons of hot vegetable broth. Add liquid gradually rather than pouring in a large amount. A dry rim does not always mean the beans need more liquid; stir first to redistribute the sauce.
Stir Every 30 Minutes and Check Liquid Until Thick
Stir the beans every 30 minutes, beginning after the first hour. Use a silicone spatula or large spoon to scrape along the bottom and corners, then fold the darker edges into the center. Stir gently so the beans remain whole.
At each check, look for three things:
- Moisture: The sauce should pool slightly when stirred but should not look watery.
- Texture: The beans should remain intact while becoming soft enough to crush easily with the back of a spoon.
- Color and aroma: The sauce should be dark, glossy, and smoky without smelling acrid or burnt.
For reliable smoking beans results, add broth only when the mixture looks dry or the bottom is catching. If the sauce is still thin after two hours, continue cooking uncovered in 15-minute increments. Stir after each increment until the sauce coats the beans and slowly fills the space behind the spoon.
If the beans are tender but the sauce remains loose, move the pan to a hotter section of the smoker or continue at 250°F with the pan uncovered. If the beans become tender before the sauce is ready, use shorter checks and add a splash of broth whenever the surface starts to dry.
Adjust and Serve When Sauce Is Thick and Beans Are Tender (6–8 Servings)
Remove the pan when the sauce is thick enough to cling to the beans, and the beans are tender with creamy centers. The mixture should settle slowly after stirring rather than flow like soup. Taste and adjust with salt, black pepper, a teaspoon of vinegar, or a little extra brown sugar.
Let the beans rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken further as it cools. These smoker baked beans are ready to serve directly from the foil pan, with sliced green onions or chopped parsley if desired.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.