With amazing flavor and how easy it is to make, these sweet and savory dr. pepper baked beans are a delicious side dish for any BBQ or tailgating party.
Cookouts are a big part of my life, they always have been. From neighborhood cookouts living in base housing with my parents (and with my husband), to now, smoking brisket, grilling hot dogs, and noshing on seafood boils with close friends at my own home.
And with these gatherings, baked beans always show up. Saucy, tangy, zesty, and the perfect side dish to all my grilling goodies, I couldn't resist bringing you guys my dr pepper baked beans recipe. It's a semi-homemade skillet of pure goodness.
Everything is done in one pan: optional bacon addition, sautéing onions and garlic then loading up on tons of flavor with different ingredients that make baked beans so damn good.
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Ingredients
Canned Pork and Beans. This is not a set in stone ingredient, you could soak some dry pinto beans, or use great northern beans. I like the canned versions of beans for ease, I don't have to set up prep overnight. Simple and easy.
Bacon. Use your favorite bacon here, or skip it if you want. I like the smoky unique flavors that bacon brings here.
Yellow onion and garlic cloves.
Dr. Pepper. I'm a huge dr pepper fan, and it gives that note of sweetness you're looking for in a skillet of baked beans. No need for added brown sugar in this one.
Worcestershire sauce. The choice of top bbq pitmasters (like my mama), this gives our barbecue beans that deep umami taste that would otherwise be missing. Soy sauce.
BBQ Sauce. My secret ingredient; use your favorite bbq sauce to amp up the flavor.
Chili powder. Gives it a smoky, savory bit of spice!
Molasses. An ingredient my mama always uses in her beans, this amplifies that deep, rich flavor without being too sweet.
Dry mustard powder. You could also use a little dijon mustard, but dry mustard lets you control that tangy, punchy touch.
Smoked paprika. One of my favorite ingredients! It gives a richer red color and smoky flavor.
Kosher salt and black pepper.
Instructions
Full instructions, including measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Heat up your cast iron skillet and add the chopped bacon, cooking to your desired crispness. Drain most of the fat out when the bacon is done and add the onions and garlic. You want to sauté them to really open up those flavors you can only get through the maillard reaction.
Once they're golden brown, add all the other ingredients, give it a mix, then put the skillet into your hot oven and bake your barbecue beans until they become perfectly glazed with that sauce and are ready to eat!
Serve with
I'll serve dr. pepper beans with a smoked tri tip. It really makes a great side dish to your grilled and smoked main dish.
I also like it with some saucy slow cooker or oven ribs and lemon pepper wings during football season!
Storage and Reheat Instructions
Baked beans are really easy to store and even easier to eat the next day!
Store the beans in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
To reheat, heat the beans in a microwave or low temperature oven in a heat-safe bowl or container until warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
You absolutely can! Cook the baked beans on high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-8 hours in the slow cooker.
The solution for soupy beans is to keep them baking! Get the saucy, stickier beans by stirring the beans in the skillet while it bakes and letting it continue to bake until you get the desired result.
More side dishes
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Dr. Pepper Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- ½ medium yellow onion, small dice
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 15 oz cans pork and beans, drained
- 1 can, 12 fl oz Dr. Pepper
- ⅓ cup barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup unsulphured molasses
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Crisp bacon in a 10-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, cooking to desired crispness.
- Once crisp, remove the bacon from the skillet onto a paper towel-lined plate and drain the fat in the pan, reserving 2 tablespoon of it in the pan.
- Sauté the diced onions in the bacon fat over medium heat until the onions gain a golden brown color, about five minutes. Add the minced garlic, stirring frequently for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the pork and beans, dr. pepper, barbecue sauce, molasses, worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, dry mustard powder, and smoked paprika. Stir them well until everything is combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Stir in the cooked bacon, then place the skillet into your preheated oven for 1 hour up to 90 minutes, until the sauce reduces into a thicker glaze.
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