If you are looking for the perfect side dish that you can make outside, you have to try this easy smoked baked beans recipe. We are going to load up canned beans with a combination of thick-cut bacon, caramelized onions, and a few flavor enhancers. It is the most delicious easy side dish you can make out on your pellet.
Smoked Baked Beans Flavors
This easy baked beans recipe brings the flavor with cooked crispy bacon and sweet caramelized onions. There is depth of flavor here with a mild smoke flavor that compliments any main course on the Traeger. The first time I made these, everyone was blown away at the whole new level and we had a new favorite beans recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need for This Side Dish
Aside from the great flavor, these simple ingredients are common pantry staples. The ingredients and supplies listed are for 6 servings. If you want to double or triple the recipe for a crowd, that math is super easy, but you can also adjust the servings in the recipe card below.
- 1 28 ounce Canned Baked Beans - I prefer Bush's Baked Beans Original Recipe but the Maple Bacon is also very good for this recipe.
- 4-6 slices bacon - you really need 4, but it always seems that when there is cooked bacon, small hands have to grab a few pieces
- ½ cup yellow onion minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Helpful Cooking Equipment and Supplies
I bet you have all of these items on hand already. But if you don't, have no fear. These won't brake the bank.
- Pellet Smoker - obviously I am cooking on my Traeger, but any pellet grill should do the trick
- Cast Iron Pan - my favorite little heat managing vessel for cooking side dishes inside my Traeger Grill while the main dish cooks. I use a 10" skillet for this quantity. If you need to double the recipe or make even more, just use a larger skillet.
- Disposable aluminum pan - if you don't have a cast iron pan OR you need to make a monster size portion, you can grab a disposable pan
How to Assemble Baked Beans for the Traeger
- First, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in a large skillet until the bits are crispy. Transfer the bacon pieces to a plate lined with a paper towel. Discard most of the bacon fat, but keep about 1 tablespoon to cook the onions.
- Next, mince and caramelize the yellow onion over medium heat until they are tender and slightly golden brown. This is a major flavor enhancer. Don't skip this step.
- After you cooked the onions and bacon, it's time to assemble all of the other ingredients.
- In a large cast iron skillet, combine all of the remaining ingredients ; the canned beans, cooked bacon, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and black pepper. Finish with extra crumbles of bacon on the top of the beans.
- Place the cast iron pan directly on the grill grates and cook with the lid closed at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Remove and serve the smoked beans.
My Recommended Main Dish to Serve With
- Smoked Pork Butt is a no brainer and especially great for summer holidays and cookouts with the family
- Pork Tenderloin is another great choice that pairs so nicely with the salty-sweet combination from the baked beans
- Beef Brisket is another great crowd pleaser
- St Louis Style Ribs are another perfect main course. They both bring that salty-sweet combination to the table.
Saving Leftover Smoked Baked Beans
Transfer any leftover leftover baked beans to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I also really like to save individual meal size portions if I have leftovers from the main dish as well. Then, I can easily pack lunches the next day.
Tasty Recipe Modifications
Want a little heat? Add some minced jalapeño pepper to the sweet yellow onion and cook those for a few minutes before adding them to the baked beans.
You can also add bell pepper for more veggie flavor.
Maple syrup - for more of a maple flavor, especially if you are using Maple Bacon baked beans from the grocery store, 1-2 teaspoons of maple syrup can bump up the flavor. This is a great flavor combination with smoked pork belly or st Louis style ribs.
Worcestershire sauce - for a deeper flavor, add a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. This pairs especially well with beefy dishes such as brisket or tri tip.
Feeding A Crowd
This is a recipe if you have a lot of people to cook for. Using the recipe card below, increase the number of servings to fit your crowd. If I am cooking for 10-15 people, I will use either a larger dutch oven or disposable aluminum tray for the extra servings. Increase the cook time by an additional 10-15 minutes.
Traeger Main Dish Recipes
Traeger Smoked Baked Beans Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 28 ounces baked beans
- 4-6 slices bacon
- ½ cup yellow onion minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- First, cut the bacon into small pieces and cook in a large skillet until the bits crispy. Transfer the bacon pieces to a plate lined with a paper towel. Discard most of the bacon fat, but keep about 1 tablespoon to cook the onions.
- Next, mince and caramelize the yellow onion over medium heat until they are tender and slightly golden brown.
- After you cooked the onions and bacon, it's time to assemble all of the other ingredients.
- In a large cast iron skillet, combine all of the remaining ingredients ; the canned beans, cooked bacon, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and garlic powder. Finish with extra crumbles of bacon on the top of the beans.
- Place the cast iron pan directly on the grill grates and cook with the lid closed at 350°F for 20 minutes.
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