Barbecue Bacon Spicy Baked Beans are loaded with browned pork sausage, crispy bacon, and a smoky-spicy barbecue sauce so flavorful that no one will believe they start from canned beans.
Last fall I had the privilege of traveling with Certified Angus Beef to meet exceptional beef producers in Kansas. One unforgettable moment was a hay-wagon ride out onto the prairie where chuckwagon chefs Cowboy Kent Rollins and Shannon Keller Rollins prepared a rustic feast.
The meal featured giant charcoal-grilled steaks, Dutch oven biscuits, a hearty hominy casserole, and the star of the show: a massive pot of barbecue- and bacon-packed spicy baked beans. Cowboy Kent and Shannon generously shared their recipes, and I’m excited to bring their version of these spicy baked beans to you.
These barbecue bacon spicy baked beans taste like they simmered all day. They have depth and complexity from layers of spices and aromatics, but here’s a secret: Cowboy Kent sometimes starts with canned beans. That surprised me, but with the right technique and a bold sauce, canned beans can deliver restaurant-quality results in far less time.
Can I use canned beans to make Spicy BBQ Baked Beans?
Yes. Even though traditional slow-cooked versions begin with dried beans, you can achieve rich, deep flavor using canned beans if you properly drain them and build a robust sauce. I tested a few tweaks after returning from Kansas and landed on a version I love—one that still honors the cowboy approach of cooking with what you have on hand.
Barbecue Bacon Spicy Baked Beans
Any good bulk pork sausage works well here—hot Italian sausage is my favorite for its spice and depth. I’ve also made this with homemade turkey breakfast sausage and enjoyed it. If you use turkey sausage, cook the bacon first and use some of the bacon fat to prevent the lean turkey sausage from sticking. If you substitute turkey bacon, add a little oil to the pan.
You’ll likely have leftover chipotles in adobo. Freeze extras in ice cube trays—one pepper per well with a spoonful of sauce. Once frozen, transfer them to a labeled resealable bag so you can grab a portion whenever a recipe calls for chipotle.
To drain the chili beans and pork and beans, use a colander and let the excess liquid run off; they don’t have to be completely dry—just drained enough so the sauce clings to the beans.
Tools
– Large oven-safe skillet, braiser, or Dutch oven
– Slotted spoon
– Sturdy spoon or spatula for breaking up sausage
– Chipotles in adobo (or mashed chipotle)
Spicy Baked Beans
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and use a sturdy spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until browned and slightly crisp at the edges. Transfer the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate. Pour off excess fat and return the pan to the heat.
Add the bacon to the hot pan and cook until crisp. Transfer the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel–lined plate. Leave about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan and discard the rest.
Return the pan to medium heat, add the diced onion and stir to coat in the bacon fat. Cook the onion for about 2 minutes, then add the minced garlic and diced jalapeño and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Whisk together the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, yellow mustard, and the mashed chipotle in adobo in the pan. Stir in the drained chili beans, drained pork and beans, the cooked sausage, and half of the crispy bacon. Mix gently so the sauce coats the beans and meat evenly.
Scatter the remaining bacon over the top and bake, uncovered, until the beans are hot and bubbling, about 20–30 minutes depending on your oven and the depth of your pan.
Spicy Baked Beans
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 pound bulk pork sausage
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 2/3 cup barbecue sauce
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1 chipotle in adobo, mashed with a bit of the sauce
- 2 cans chili beans, drained (15 ounces each)
- 2 cans pork and beans, drained (15 ounces each)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown and crumble the sausage until cooked through and slightly crisp. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and pour off excess fat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; transfer half the bacon to the plate and leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Sauté the onion in the bacon fat for 2 minutes, then add garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard, and mashed chipotle until evenly combined. Add the drained beans and cooked sausage, mixing to coat. Stir in half the reserved bacon, scatter the rest on top, and bake uncovered until bubbling and hot.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 59 g
Protein: 18 g
Fat: 20 g
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate based on the ingredients you use for accuracy.
Do you love these Barbecue Bacon Spicy Baked Beans? Try these bean recipes!
- Black Bean and Corn Tacos
- Slow Cooker Breakfast Baked Beans
- Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
- Bean and Cheese Taco Bites
- Italian Garbanzo Bean Salad
- Black Bean Skillet Dinner
