Gina Maes Baked Beans

Gina Maes Baked Beans

Dress up store-bought barbecue sauce with extra brown sugar and apple cider vinegar for these smoky, tangy beans.

Ingredients :

• 3 bacon slices
• 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
• ¾ cup finely chopped vidalia onion
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 cup barbecue sauce (such as sweet baby ray's original barbecue sauce)
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 (22-ounce) cans baked beans (such as bush's bourbon and brown sugar grillin' beans)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place bacon slices in a single layer in a 12-inch skillet. Cook over medium-low, flipping occasionally, until browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; reserve drippings in skillet.
2. Increase heat under skillet to medium, and add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is crumbly and just browned, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Push beef to one side of skillet; tilt skillet to let drippings drain to empty side. Using paper towels, carefully soak up drippings; discard.
3. Return skillet to heat over medium, and add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, paprika, and cinnamon; stir until well combined. Stir in baked beans, and bring mixture to a simmer over medium, stirring often. Pour mixture into a 2 1/2-quart baking dish.
4. Bake beans, uncovered, in preheated oven until bubbling in center, about 50 minutes. Crumble bacon evenly over top, and bake 10 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.