The Ultimate Baked Beans for Your Next Cookout

When I'm in a hurry or there's lots of dishes to prepare for a cookout I have no problem opening a can of baked beans to heat and serve. But there are times when I want to go an extra mile and make something a little more special.

That's when I pull out all the stops and make the ultimate baked beans. My friend refers to these as "Those Beans" because when I make this dish for a potluck she says everyone want to know who made those beans.

Full of bacon, ground beef and three different types of beans it could be a meal in itself.

All it takes is a few cans of beans and a little of this and a little of that...

Ultimate Baked Beans

3 (1 pound) cans pork and beans
1 (1 pound) can lima beans (do not drain)
1 (1 pound) can of kidney beans (drained)
1/2 pound bacon
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Brown the ground beef, drain the fat and set aside.
Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain all but 3 Tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Cook the onion in the reserved bacon fat until tender.
Add the ketchup, water, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to the onions and heat through.

Crumble the bacon and mix all the ingredients together in a large baking dish. (I used a cast iron chicken fryer.)

You can add additional ketchup and water if the dish seems too dry.

Bake in the oven at 300 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours until thick and bubbly.
OR
In a crock pot on low 4 hours
OR
for a cookout this can be cooked on the grill. I used a cast iron skillet and set it over the hot coals for 1 1/2 hours.

For your next cookout those beans would be great served with Sweet and Slightly Tangy Coleslaw and your favorite grilled meat. 

What's on your grill this weekend?