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Maple Baked Beans with Bacon

Homemade maple baked beans with bacon is a classic recipe that you can enjoy throughout the year. Sweet and smoky, these baked beans are so tender, easy to make, and can be easily adapted for your meatless Monday lineup. Learn how to cook this flavorful dish in 3 different ways - Dutch oven, slow cooker, Instant Pot.
5 from 27 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 3 slices bacon diced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloved garlic minced
  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 4 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1½ cups dry beans (navy, pinto or great northern beans)
  • Water for soaking and precooking

Instructions

Rinsing and soaking the beans

  • Rinse and sort the beans; remove any pebbles or debris. Place the beans in a large bowl filled with water. Soak overnight for 8-12 hours

Pre-cooking the beans

  • Transfer the drained and rinsed beans again to a large pot. Re-fill with water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse again.

Dutch-oven method

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.Heat an oven-safe 5-quart pot over medium-high heat; add chopped bacon and cook until crispy, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Turn the heat down to medium, add the onion and cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
  • Add the stock, ketchup, maple syrup, vinegar, molasses, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and black pepper. Bring up to a boil, and then turn off the heat and stir in the beans.
  • Cover the pot and bake for 30 minutes. Give the beans a stir, and then bake (uncovered) for 15 minutes more. Serve warm.

Slow-cooker method

  • Cook chopped bacon in a slow cooker until crispy. You can also do this separately on a stovetop.
  • Add the rest of the ingredients, stir together. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low, or until the beans are tender. Add more water if it's too dry.

Instant Pot method (skip the soaking and pre-cooking beans instruction above)

  • Pre-cooking the beans: rinse the beans, then put in a 6 or 8 quart instant pot insert. Fill to the ⅔ full mark with water. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then quick release. Drain beans in strainer and set aside.
  • Turn Instant Pot to saute mode and add chopped bacon to the pot. Cook until it starts getting crispy, stirring frequently. Drain most of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon of oil.
  • Add beans and the rest of the ingredients, and stir to combine. Turn Instant Pot to slow cook and cook for 1 hour or until the beans are tender.