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Best Slow Cooker Bourbon Baked Beans for a Crowd

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These slow cooker bourbon baked beans are the ultimate crowd-pleasing side dish, featuring a perfect balance of smoky bacon, sweet molasses, and a hint of bourbon. With three types of beans and a rich, caramelized sauce, this hands-off recipe is ideal for potlucks, tailgates, and family gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound bacon, chopped
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounces Bush’s Original Baked Beans, undrained
  • 15 ounces dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 15 ounces Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup bourbon
  • ½ cup ketchup
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the bacon and onions. Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 2 tablespoons of rendered fat in the skillet. Add diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  2. Prepare your slow cooker. Open all cans of beans. Drain and rinse kidney beans and Great Northern beans; leave Bush’s Baked Beans undrained. Add all three beans to a 6-quart slow cooker.
  3. Build the sauce. In a small bowl or directly into the slow cooker, combine bourbon, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and apple cider vinegar. Stir until brown sugar is mostly dissolved.
  4. Combine everything. Add cooked bacon and sautéed onion-garlic mixture to the slow cooker. Stir until all beans are evenly coated.
  5. Slow cook on low. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. Stir halfway through.
  6. Check the consistency. In the last 30 minutes, remove lid and cook uncovered to thicken the sauce. If too watery, cook uncovered for up to 1 hour.
  7. Season and serve. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, skip bacon and use 2 tablespoons smoked paprika and 1 tablespoon liquid smoke. For gluten-free, check Worcestershire sauce label. Beans are even better the next day; reheat in slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker baked beans, bourbon baked beans, crowd-pleasing side dish, potluck beans, game day beans, bacon baked beans

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