The best thing about these Saucy Pork And Beans is that they’ve never seen the inside of a can. Made with dried pinto beans and combined with a flavor-packed sauce, they become what real pork and beans should taste like. You can easily prepare them on the stove, in the crockpot, or without soaking in the Instant Pot, a much quicker process. Well worth making from scratch!
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We begin with…
Bacon!
Yes, smoky, salty, thick-cut bacon. Chop it up or snip it into small pieces so that it permeates all through the dish for that classic pork and bean flavor in every bite. Brown it up in a pan or if you’re using the Instant Pot, set it on saute’ and stir the bacon pieces ’round and round ’til golden brown. Then add some chopped onion and bell pepper to saute’ for a few minutes.
Now, if you’re preparing these Saucy Pork And Beans in a crockpot or on the stovetop, you need to soak the dried pinto beans for at least 8 hours. If you’re using a pressure cooker, there is no need for soaking because the pot does all the work for you!
Next, throw in the dried pinto beans, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard, cane syrup, liquid smoke, brown sugar, salt, white pepper, and water.
To reduce the carbs and sugars, I use sugar-free ketchup and barbecue sauce. I also use coconut palm sugar in place of the brown sugar because of its low glycemic index and similar taste. For more carb relief, you can reduce the amount of syrup to 1 tablespoon to keep that cane syrup taste. Still very delicious!Sugar-free sweeteners in place of brown sugar and syrup will lower the carb count even more.
Lastly, stir all of the ingredients together, cover the pot, and turn on the heat source.
For the stovetop method, cook them above a simmering flame for about 2 hours, often checking to stir, adjusting the heat, and add water if needed. If using a slow cooker, cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. And if you choose the Instant Pot, set it on high pressure for 60 minutes and let the pressure naturally release after the bell chimes.
The best tasting pork and beans recipe made easily on the stove, in the slow cooker, or Instant Pot.
Ingredients
Scale
1 pound dried pinto beans
4 slices (6 ounces) thick-cut bacon slices, chopped or snipped into small pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon creole or regular mustard
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
2 tablespoons cane syrup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3 cups of water
Instructions
Instant Pot
Rinse the beans and drain well.
Turn the Instant Pot on to the saute’ setting and cook the bacon until browned.
Add onion and bell pepper to the bacon and cook for 3 minutes.
Turn off the pressure cooker.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, stir, and cover with the lid to lock and seal.
Press the manual setting and cook for 60 minutes on high pressure.
Allow the pressure to naturally release after the chime sounds.
Slow Cooker
Rinse and soak the beans for 8 hours in enough water to cover 2 inches above the beans.
Brown the bacon in a pot on the stove.
Add onions and bell pepper to the bacon and cook until the onion starts to turn clear.
Add the onions, bell peppers, and bacon with the rest of the ingredients to the crock pot, stir, and cover.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until beans are tender, checking to see if more water is needed during cooking.
Stovetop
Rinse and soak the beans for 8 hours in enough water to cover 2 inches above the beans.
Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven until browned.
Add onions and bell pepper to the bacon and cook until the onion starts to turn clear.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot, stir, and cover.
Set flame to low for a gentle simmer and cook the beans for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until they are tender, checking to adjust heat and see if they need more water during cooking.
Notes
Freeze a batch in smaller serving portions or the leftover beans for later.
To reduce the carbs and sugars, use sugar-free ketchup and barbecue sauce. Also, use coconut palm sugar in place of the brown sugar because of its low glycemic index and similar taste. For more carb relief, reduce the amount of syrup to 1 tablespoon to keep that cane syrup taste. Sugar-free sweeteners in place of brown sugar and syrup will lower the carb count even more.
Category:Side Dish
Method:Simmer
Cuisine:American
Keywords: pork and beans, instant pot pork and beans, slow cooker pork and beans, dried pinto beans
Saucy Pork And Beans, More Than A Side Dish
These beans are easy to make, delicious, and versatile. We like them so much we eat them as a main dish with a chunk of Iron Skillet Cornbread and a salad tossed with dressing like this Sweet-Hot Cajun Vinaigrette to complete the meal.
So with a little preparation ahead of time, you can serve the best tasting homemade pork and beans ever! May I suggest cooking up an extra batch and dividing it into serving portions to store in the freezer? Much better than reaching for a can from the pantry.
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“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
