Dad's Baked Beans

This tangy, sweet-savory dish was one of Dad's favorites. He preferred to use bacon, but if he didn't have that, he would use Polish Sausage links, or even hot dogs, cut up. Or he would make it without meat, and have it on the side with an entree. He also loved making it when we had a barbeque dinner, with either potato or macaroni salad. He didn't like it really soupy or too runny, he preferred it to be really thick, so it would stand in a pile on his plate. So he used a little extra sugar and baked it a good length of time. Even right now, I can still smell that sweet, bacon/onion smell that used to fill the house, whenever he made this.

Dad’s Baked Beans

Ingredients:

6 to 8 pieces bacon cooked and chopped, save drippings

1 large onion, diced

2 cans (16 oz. each) pork and beans (we use Van Camp's)

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

2 tbsp maple syrup

1/4 cup BBQ sauce (hickory or mesquite)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp paprika

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1.      Keep bacon slices stacked together and cut them into 1-inch slices, while raw. Cook bacon in a medium cast iron skillet, over medium heat until done/brown. 

      

      Remove bacon from pan, place into a bowl, and set aside. Keep the drippings in the pan. Add onions to pan, cook until onions are just soft. Put bacon back in the pan with the onions, as you will use this pan to make the entire dish. Remove from heat, and set aside. 

2.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3.       In a cast iron skillet add all other ingredients (including the juice from the bean cans) to the bacon and onions. Gently blend well, so you don't smash the beans.  

4.       Bake the bean mixture uncovered, for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, place on a heat-safe surface,  and let stand 10 minutes. Serve.