Make your dinner even better with the ultimate side dish: Smoked Baked Beans With Bacon. Canned beans are kicked up a notch with a thick, bubbly brown sugar sauce and then topped with crisp, smoky bacon.
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Smoked baked beans are one of my favorite things to make on the smoker. They are an easy side dish that really stands out, perfect for any time of year. You can even make them in the oven or slow cooker if you don't have a pellet grill.
This recipe was inspired by my classic Oven-Baked Beans recipe, which I took up a notch by adding delicious smoky flavor.
Jump to:
- Why I Love These Smoked Baked Beans
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make Smoked Baked Beans With Bacon
- Additional Tips
- Alternative Cooking Methods
- Tips & Variations
- Serving Suggestions
- Equipment
- Storage Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Here's what readers have to say about this smoked baked beans recipe:
- More Easy Smoker Recipes
- Printable Recipe
- Comments
Why I Love These Smoked Baked Beans
- Super Simple To Make: This is an easy recipe to make, with just 15 minutes of prep time. Just mix everything together and let the pellet grill do the work.
- Crowd Favorite: This side dish is always a hit at summer BBQs and family dinners. There are never any leftovers. Ever.
- Convenient: Smoke these beans alongside your main dish for a super easy meal.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Bacon. I used regular bacon, but you can also use thick-cut bacon, turkey bacon, ham, sausage, or even pork burnt ends.
- Onion. I used red onion, but sweet yellow onion, white onion, or green onions can be used.
- Jalapeno pepper. Fresh jalapeno adds a kick, but you can substitute it with red bell pepper or green pepper for a milder flavor.
- Pork and beans. I used traditional pork and beans in a tomato base. You can use Bush's Baked Beans, Heinz Baked Beans, or your favorite kind.
- Black beans. I used organic black beans, but you could also use pinto beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, or navy beans. Just rinse and drain well before using.
- Brown sugar. I used light brown sugar, but you can use dark brown sugar or coconut sugar instead.
- Maple syrup. I used pure organic maple syrup, but you can use extra brown sugar or honey instead.
- Prepared mustard. I used yellow mustard, but you could use Dijon mustard or a pinch of dry mustard instead.
- I used Stubbs BBQ sauce, but you can use your favorite kind or homemade BBQ sauce.
How To Make Smoked Baked Beans With Bacon
This is an overview showing step-by-step photos. Jump to the full recipe card for exact instructions or watch the video below.
Prepare the Bacon:
- Cook the bacon: Cut the bacon into 1.5-inch pieces. Place a large cast iron skillet on the smoker grate and preheat the smoker to 350 degrees F. Add chunks of bacon to the skillet and cook until they just start to crisp up. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Cook onion and pepper: Add diced onion and jalapeno pepper to the bacon grease left in the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions soften and turn translucent. Reduce the smoker temperature to 225 degrees F.
Combine the Ingredients
- Add beans and seasoning: Add cans of pork and beans, black beans, brown sugar, maple syrup, yellow mustard, and BBQ sauce to the cast iron pan. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
- Top with bacon: Place the cooked bacon pieces on top of the bean mixture.
Smoke the Beans
- Slow smoke: Close the lid of the smoker and let the beans smoke for 1-2 hours. The longer they smoke, the deeper the flavor. I prefer to smoke them for 2 hours for the best flavor.
- Serve: Carefully remove the cast iron pan from the pellet grill using oven mitts. Give everything a good stir before serving. Serve these delicious smoked beans alongside your favorite barbecue dishes and enjoy!
Additional Tips
- You can also cook the bacon, onion, and jalapeno in a skillet on the stove and then combine all ingredients in a disposable aluminum pan for smoking.
- For quicker prep, use Bacon Cooked In Air Fryer.
Alternative Cooking Methods
- Oven: For a smoky flavor without the smoker, add 1 teaspoon of liquid smoke to the mixture. Combine all ingredients in a large casserole dish, cover, and bake in a 350-degree F oven for 30 minutes, until the beans are thick and syrupy.
- Stovetop: For a quicker option, cook the bacon, onion, and pepper in a Dutch oven. Add all remaining ingredients and let the mixture simmer for 30 minutes.
- Slow Cooker: Cook the bacon, onion, and pepper, then transfer to a slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients. Cook on LOW until heated through.
Tips & Variations
- Add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or extra jalapeno pepper to the mixture to make it spicy.
- Do not overcook the bacon. Cook it just until the edges start to crisp up. It will finish cooking on top of the bean mixture while it smokes.
- This makes a large batch, enough for 12 servings. To feed a smaller group, divide the ingredients in half.
- Cook the beans at the same temperature as any meat you may be smoking; 225 degrees F or 250 degrees F will work.
Serving Suggestions
These smoked beans go great with smoked or grilled meats. Try topping a Smoked Burger or Leftover Smoked Brisket Sandwich with them or stuffing them into a wrap and serving alongside my Pulled Pork Fries.
These beans pair well with everything from Smoked Hot Dogs and Smoked Sausages to Smoked Beef Brisket, Smoked Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Smoked Pork Butt, Pit Boss Pulled Pork, and Smoked Pork Chops.
Equipment
To make this delicious side dish, you will need a smoker. I used my Pit Boss pellet smoker, but you can also use any other smoker, such as a Traeger grill, Char-Broil, Master Chef, ZGrill, Lousiana grill, Big Green Egg, or Masterbuilt electric smoker.
I also used hickory wood pellets, which gave these beans a fantastic flavor. But, of course, feel free to use your favorite wood pellets.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store leftover smoked beans in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Place the cooled beans in a freezer bag or airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
If you want a more intense flavor, use stronger smoked wood like mesquite or hickory. For a milder flavor, use fruitwood like apple or cherry wood.
Smoking baked beans takes 1 to 2 hours. The longer they smoke, the stronger the smoke flavor.
Here's what readers have to say about this smoked baked beans recipe:
"I *LOVE* these! The best beans ever. I do foil pans for transport. Everyone loves them."
- our reader, Kathy
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
More Easy Smoker Recipes
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Printable Recipe
Smoked Baked Beans with Bacon
Equipment
- Pellet grill
- Large cast iron skillet or disposable aluminum pan
- Large spoon for mixing
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon cut in 1½-inch pieces
- ¾ cup red onion diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
- 3 cans pork and beans 14 oz cans
- 1 can black beans 14 oz can, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Place a large cast iron skillet on the smoker grate. Heat the smoker to 350℉. Add chopped bacon to the pan, and cook it until it just starts to get crisp. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Add diced onion and jalapeno pepper to the cast iron skillet and cook directly in the bacon grease for 4-5 minutes, until the onion begins to get translucent. Turn the smoker down to 225℉.
- Add the pork and beans, black beans, brown sugar, maple syrup, yellow mustard, and BBQ sauce to the cast iron pan. Give everything a good stir to mix it up really well. Place the bacon pieces on top of the bean mixture.
- Close the lid of the smoker and smoke the beans for 1-2 hours. The longer they smoke, the stronger the flavor will be. I prefer them to smoke for about 2 hours for the best flavor. The bacon should be nice and crispy on top.
- Using oven mitts, remove the smoked beans from the pellet grill. Mix everything together really well, and serve with your favorite main dishes.
Video
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Notes
- Do not overcook the bacon. Cook it just until the edges start to crisp up. It will finish cooking on top of the bean mixture while it smokes.
- This makes a large batch, enough for 12 servings. To feed a smaller group, divide the ingredients in half.
- Cook the beans at the same temperature as any meat that you may be smoking; both 225℉ and 250℉ will work for this recipe.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rhonda L McElroy says
Can I prepare this ahead of time on the stove top and put on the smoker later in the day?
Jeri Walker says
Absolutely Rhonda! You can prepare the beans on the stovetop earlier in the day. Cook the bacon, onion, and jalapeño, stir in the remaining ingredients, then cover and refrigerate until you're ready to smoke them. When it's time, place the beans on the smoker, top with the bacon, and smoke as directed. You may need to add an extra 15-20 minutes since they'll be starting cold. 😊
Kathy says
I *LOVE* these! The best beans ever. I do foil pans for transport. Everyone loves them.
Jeri Walker says
Oh, wow! Your comment just made my day! 🙂 I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that you LOVE my smoked baked beans recipe! And using foil pans for transport is a fantastic idea! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment, Kathy! I truly appreciate it! 🙂
Sue says
I love the flavor the smoker gives these beans! YUM!