Well, now, if you been hankerin’ for a taste of them Bush’s Baked Beans, and maybe don’t wanna run to the store, I’m gonna tell you how to make ‘em right at home! Just like the ones from the can, only better, and all without the fancy stuff, just good ol’ simple ingredients you can find in your own kitchen. Let’s get started!
What you’ll need:
- 2 cups of dried navy beans (you know, the little white ones, that’s what you need)
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar (that’ll give ‘em that sweetness)
- 1 tablespoon of mustard (I like the yellow kind, but whatever you got works)
- 1/4 cup of molasses (adds a little depth to ‘em, real good for BBQs)
- 2 tablespoons of ketchup (yep, the kind you put on your fries)
- 1/2 pound of bacon (you want some good cured bacon for this, none of that fake stuff)
- 1 small onion, chopped up fine
- 1 tablespoon of garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups of water (that’s to cook the beans nice and soft)
Now, first thing you gotta do is get them beans ready. You take your dried navy beans and put ‘em in a big ol’ bowl. Pour some water over ‘em—enough to cover ‘em good—and then let ‘em soak overnight. Don’t rush this part. The longer they soak, the better they’ll cook up soft and nice. Some folks say to add a little salt to the soaking water, but you can skip that if you like. I think it helps make ‘em more tender, though.
Once them beans been sittin’ overnight, go ahead and drain ‘em and rinse ‘em off. Now, in a big pot, you put your bacon in there and cook it up till it’s crispy. You don’t want to throw away that bacon fat, though! That’s where the flavor is, so leave it in the pot. After the bacon’s nice and crisp, pull it out and chop it up real small.
Next, you toss your chopped onions in the same pot with that bacon fat. Let ‘em cook up till they’re soft and smellin’ all good. Once them onions are done, add in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, and molasses. Stir it all up till everything’s mixed in good-like.
Now, you toss in your soaked beans and 4 cups of water. Give it a good stir. Bring it to a boil, then turn down the heat real low, cover the pot, and let them beans cook slow for about 2 to 3 hours. You want ‘em to get nice and tender, but you don’t want to boil ‘em too fast, or they’ll turn mushy. Keep an eye on ‘em and stir every so often, making sure they got enough water in there to keep ‘em from burnin’ on the bottom.
About halfway through, taste ‘em and see if they need more salt or pepper. Sometimes I like to add a little extra sugar or molasses if they’re not sweet enough, but that’s up to you. Everybody likes their beans just a little different!
Once the beans are nice and tender and the sauce is thick, you know they’re ready. The bacon and all them spices will have cooked into the beans, giving ‘em that rich, savory flavor like the ones from the can, but trust me, these’ll taste even better!
Serving suggestion:
These beans are perfect for a backyard BBQ, a family reunion, or just as a side dish to any meal. Serve ‘em up with some cornbread or maybe some grilled chicken, and you’ll have yourself a meal that’s sure to please!
And that’s it! You’ve just made yourself some delicious homemade baked beans that taste just like the Bush’s ones, but with that homemade touch. Simple ingredients, a little patience, and a whole lot of love, and you got yourself a meal that’ll make folks ask for the recipe. Enjoy, y’all!
Tags：[Bush’s Baked Beans, baked beans recipe, copycat recipe, homemade baked beans, BBQ beans, easy baked beans recipe]
