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Baked Beans - Pat's Most Amazing Recipe

Pat's baked beans are the ultimate side dish. A little brown sugar sweet, bacon smoky and Tabasco spicy.
Print Recipe
Course Side
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 lb bacon cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 28 oz. cans vegetarian baked beans I use Bush's (a few oz either way is fine)
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 14 oz bottle ketchup I use Heinz
  • 15-20 shakes Tabasco sauce

Instructions
 

  • Preheat to 300F.
  • In a large, high-sided saute or frying pan that can eventually hold all of the ingredients, cook the bacon and onion on medium heat until browned and the bacon is cooked through.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan (or into a separate bowl if you need the space to mix). Stir and then taste to adjust for more Tabasco if you need it.
  • Pour the bean mixture into a 13x9 Pyrex or ceramic baking pan and bake uncovered for 2 hours. Let sit at least 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

KETCHUP/CATSUP: Pat's recipe originally called for a 14 oz, bottle of Heinz hot and spicy ketchup which is very difficult to find now/East Coast.  If you can get hold of it, use that in place of the regular ketchup/Tabasco combo.  
TABASCO AMOUNT: Always feel free to add more Tabasco.  If it's just the four of us, I generally double it; but we are definitely heat-seekers.  If in doubt, you can always put the bottle on the table.
BACON QUANTITY:  I wish manufacturers would stop messing with package sizes to avoid "raising prices"... which is  happening by making the packages smaller.  Ahem.  Now that bacon frequently comes in 12 oz. packages, I use the whole thing.  If I ever cooked up 4 oz. of bacon for nibbling, there would be a Locust battle.
CROCKPOT:  These baked beans can be made in the crockpot but you will not get the crust that the oven gives them.  The crockpot is terrific for make-ahead and hot summer days when you don't want to heat the kitchen.  To cook (it's really heating through) follow the steps above and instead of putting them into the oven, put into the CrockPot on low for 6 hours (or high for 4) and then keep warm until serving.
Keyword bacon, barbecue, beans, cookout, dinner, easy recipe, lunch, pork, Tabasco