The Best Baked Beans

 

For the Fourth of July this year, John and I went to his aunt and uncle's for a pot luck style dinner.  We signed up to bring the baked beans... well, actually, they were the only food left on the list :)  But I made these baked beans and, I must say, they turned out deliciously!

You will need:

• 2 pounds of bacon (I used 1.5 since we had already used some of ours, haha)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cans great northern beans, undrained
• 2 cans butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 325.  Take a le creuset (or similar stove top and oven safe cooking dish) and heat over medium heat.  Add your bacon and cook until slightly crispy.

Remove the bacon to a paper towel and drain about half of the grease.  Cook the onion in the remaining bacon grease until soft.  

Cut the bacon into inch sized pieces and add it along with the rest of the ingredients to the dish.  Stir until blended and place into the oven, covered, for 30 minutes.  Uncover the dish, reduce the temperature to 300, and bake until the top starts to crisp, about 20 minutes.

This served a group of about 12, so it makes a LOT.  Halve the recipe for a smaller crowd.  Enjoy!