Barbecue season is synonymous with classic sides, and baked beans are undoubtedly a star at any cookout. While store-bought options are convenient, nothing beats the rich, smoky flavor of homemade baked beans, especially when cooked to perfection in a cast iron pot. Inspired by the hearty, home-style cooking of The Pioneer Woman, this recipe takes baked beans to a whole new level. Forget canned beans swimming in overly sweet sauce; we’re talking about deeply flavorful, bacon-infused beans with a perfect balance of sweet and savory, all thanks to the magic of cast iron.
Close-up of cast iron skillet baked beans with bacon
Why Cast Iron is Key for the Best Baked Beans
Using a cast iron pot, like a cast iron skillet, isn’t just about rustic charm; it’s a game-changer for baked beans. Cast iron’s superior heat retention and even heat distribution are crucial for this recipe. Here’s why cooking your baked beans in a cast iron pot makes a difference:
- Even Cooking: Cast iron heats evenly, eliminating hot spots and ensuring your beans cook uniformly throughout the entire pot. This prevents some beans from being undercooked while others are mushy.
- Superior Heat Retention: Once heated, cast iron stays hot. This consistent temperature is perfect for slow baking beans, allowing them to develop deep flavors and a wonderfully creamy texture.
- Enhanced Flavor: Cast iron can enhance the smoky notes in your baked beans, especially if your skillet is well-seasoned. It adds a subtle depth of flavor that’s hard to replicate in other cookware.
- Perfect for Serving: A cast iron skillet or pot is not only functional but also beautiful for serving. Bringing a sizzling skillet of baked beans straight from the oven to the table adds a wow factor to your meal.
Pioneer Woman Inspired Cast Iron Baked Beans Recipe: A Delicious Twist
This recipe draws inspiration from classic baked bean recipes and the generous, flavorful style of The Pioneer Woman, but with a few key tweaks to maximize flavor and utilize the cast iron pot to its full potential. We’re ditching canned pork and beans for a more robust flavor profile and incorporating layers of smoky bacon, sweet and savory sauces, and a touch of Southern charm.
Recipe Modifications for Enhanced Flavor
- Bacon Power: Instead of relying on minimal pork flavor from canned beans, we’re doubling down on bacon. Crispy bacon is rendered and used to sauté the vegetables, and more bacon is added to the beans themselves for a smoky, meaty depth.
- Sweetness Complexity: Brown sugar provides classic sweetness, but a touch of sorghum syrup adds a unique Southern note and a richer, more complex sweetness than brown sugar alone. You can substitute molasses if sorghum syrup isn’t available.
- Sauce Layers: Instead of just one type of barbecue sauce, we’re using a combination of tomato-based and mustard-based barbecue sauces. This creates a balanced flavor profile, hitting both sweet and tangy notes. If you don’t have mustard-based sauce, a mix of cider vinegar and Dijon mustard will work.
- Cast Iron from Start to Finish: Unlike some recipes that transfer ingredients to a baking dish, we’re using the cast iron skillet from sautéing the bacon and vegetables to baking and serving. This minimizes dishes and maximizes the cast iron’s flavor-enhancing properties.
Ingredients:
- 11 strips bacon, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp. salt
- 5 (15.5-oz.) cans navy or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce (Western North Carolina-style recommended)
- 1/2 cup mustard-based barbecue sauce (South Carolina-style recommended), or 1/4 cup cider vinegar plus 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sorghum syrup (or molasses)
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat Oven & Cook Bacon: Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Cut 8 bacon strips in half. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat, cook the halved bacon until most fat is rendered but bacon is not browned (about 6-8 minutes). Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Sauté Vegetables: Dice remaining 3 bacon strips and cook in the same skillet over medium heat until crisp (about 5 minutes). Add onion, bell pepper, and salt. Season with black pepper. Cook until vegetables soften and begin to brown (7-10 minutes).
- Combine Ingredients & Simmer: Add rinsed and drained beans, both barbecue sauces (or vinegar and mustard), brown sugar, and sorghum syrup to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook until the liquid simmers.
- Bake: Arrange the partially cooked bacon halves on top of the bean mixture. Bake for 90 minutes, or until the top bacon is crisp and the sauce is thick and sticky.
Serving Your Cast Iron Skillet Baked Beans
Once your Pioneer Woman inspired baked beans are bubbling hot and the bacon is perfectly crisp, it’s time to serve. The beauty of this recipe is that you can bring the cast iron skillet directly to the table. Place it on a trivet to protect your surface and let everyone admire (and serve themselves from) your gorgeous, smoky baked beans. These beans are the perfect side dish for burgers, ribs, pulled pork, or any classic barbecue fare.
Enjoy the rich flavors and the rustic charm of these cast iron baked beans – a guaranteed crowd-pleaser at your next gathering!
