Peachy Baked Beans with Bacon and Ground Beef
The ultimate sweet and savory barbecue side dish. This hearty casserole combines three types of beans, smoky bacon, ground beef, and the surprising, jammy sweetness of chopped peaches in a rich, tangy sauce.
Equipment
- Large Skillet or Dutch Oven
- 9×13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
Meat & Aromatics
- 4 slices bacon chopped
- 0.5 pound ground beef
- 1 cup onion chopped
Beans & Peaches
- 1 can baked beans 28-ounce can, undrained
- 1 can baby butter beans 14-ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 1 can light or dark red kidney beans 14-ounce can, drained and rinsed
- 4 halves canned peach halves in syrup chopped
Sauce & Seasonings
- 1 cup ketchup
- 0.33 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar Bragg recommended
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
- 1 dash hot pepper sauce optional
- 1 tsp liquid smoke optional
- 0.5 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning optional, or to taste
- 1 pinch Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Render the Meat: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large skillet, fry chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon to a paper towel. In the bacon grease, brown the ground beef and chopped onion until meat is cooked and onions are soft. Drain excess grease.
- Combine Base Ingredients: In a large bowl (or the skillet, if large enough), combine the browned beef and onions, undrained baked beans, drained and rinsed butter beans and kidney beans, and chopped peaches.
- Mix the Sauce: Gently stir in the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, liquid smoke, and Cajun seasoning. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper. Fold in the crispy bacon.
- Bake: Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake uncovered for 55 to 60 minutes until thick and bubbly. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
It is critical to drain and rinse the butter beans and kidney beans before adding them to the mixture, otherwise the casserole will be too watery.