Baked beans taste like summer barbecues and outdoor picnics. They also taste like five pounds of sugar (which is not far off from how much sugar is actually in them).
This recipe is not too sweet and still gives you all of the best bbq baked bean flavor that you desire. Pairs super well with not-too-sweet smoked chicken.
This baked beans recipe uses taco sauce as it’s base, with a touch of honey to sweeten. Usually that role goes to ketchup, barbecue sauce, and brown sugar, all of which is laden with more sweet sweet sugar.
Taco sauce on the other hand, generally doesn’t have added sugars and is seasoned with common baked bean ingredients such as garlic, onion, and chili powder. Although you can use any red taco sauce that you are fond of, I specifically used the La Victoria Medium Taco Sauce. Beware: even though it’s a medium sauce it adds a bit of kick.
I like to cook these beans in a cast iron skillet. Cast iron skillets are great because they add iron and other minerals into the food that you are cooking, they are easy to clean (NO SOAP), and can be used on virtually every cooking surface (grill, smoker, oven, stove top, you got it).
This recipe also calls for a (very small amount) of low or no sugar barbecue sauce. I love the Stubbs brand of barbecue sauces (which has less added sugars and no high fructose corn syrup), BUT I have also tried (and liked) the Kansas City True Made (which is sweetened with applesauce, butternut squash, and other good-for you sweet veggies) and it is pretty darn good. Tip: My husband actually uses the Kansas City True to baste his ribs for an all-day smokin’.
Potential Substitutions
Honey – You can substitute honey with maple syrup, coconut sugar, brown sugar, or any artificial sweetener.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Can be substituted with any type of vinegar or with lime juice for something a bit more fiesta-ish.
Low/No Sugar BBQ Sauce – Can be replaced with regular BBQ sauce or omitted entirely for a slightly different flavor profile.
Diced Tomatoes – Can be replaced with tomato sauce or upgraded with Diced Tomatoes canned with Green Chiles
Not Too Sweet BBQ Beans
Description
The perfect not-too-sweet barbecue baked beans. Spicy, tangy, savory and mildly sweetened with just enough honey. This is my go-to for guilt-free backyard barbecues.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a cast iron skillet on the grill, or in a pan over stove top, fry the bacon until golden.
- Remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan, add in onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook until softened.
- Meanwhile, mix taco sauce, honey, tomatoes, low or no sugar barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, and garlic.
- Once peppers are soft, add in beans, sauce, and bacon. Stir to combine.
- Transfer to a smoker or oven at 250 and bake for 1-2 hours, or until thickened.
