There’s nothing quite like the rich aroma of smoked beans at a backyard cookout. These Saucy Smoked Beans are savory, bold, and packed with smoky flavor. This recipe is a go-to for me when I want something easy but impressive on the side. It takes minimal prep and uses pantry ingredients, and it still tastes like you cooked all day.
Instead of just warming up canned beans, this version layers in real barbecue flavor by slowly smoking them before finishing at a higher temperature. The result is a pot of beans that are thick, saucy, and so full of flavor they can stand on their own next to ribs, chicken, or pulled pork.
Ingredients
- Baked beans – Use your favorite canned beans as a start.
- Onion – You can use white, yellow, red or even sweet onions in this recipe.
- Green bell pepper
- Pork BBQ rub – I love using sweet & spicy pork rub
- Yellow mustard
- Brown sugar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Garlic – Fresh garlic has so much more flavor!
How to Make Saucy Smoked Beans
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
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Buy Now!Start by preheating your smoker or pellet grill to 180°F. I like using a good all-purpose blend of smoker pellets, but you can use your favorite.
Grab a disposable aluminum pan. Half-size pans are perfect for this recipe because there’ll be lots of surface area for your beans to soak up the smoke flavor. Pour in the baked beans straight from the can. Add the diced onion and diced green bell pepper, followed by the mustard, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, optional brown sugar, and BBQ rub.
Place the pan directly on the smoker grates and smoke uncovered for 1 hour. That top layer will pick up a deep, smoky note that sets this dish apart. A heat-resistant grill glove comes in handy when moving the hot pan on and off the smoker.
After an hour, stir everything together until well combined. The beans will already smell incredible, but they’re not done yet. Let them smoke for another 30 minutes, or until they’re hot, bubbling, and the sauce has slightly thickened.
Once they’re done, remove the pan from the smoker and let the beans rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. They’ll thicken just a little more as they cool, and the flavors will deepen even further.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use a strong wood like hickory or oak to give the beans a deeper smoky flavor.
- Keep an eye on the heat when you turn it up to prevent burning the bottom layer
- Want more heat? Add a diced jalapeno.
- These beans hold well, so you can make them an hour in advance and keep them warm in your slow cooker or smoker.
Recommended
Make It a Meal
Serve these beans with smoked sausage, brisket, or grilled burgers. They’re the perfect companion to anything hot off the grill and great scooped up with cornbread or chips.
storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Beans can also be frozen for up to 3 months and thawed in the fridge before reheating.
Sauce Smoked Beans
Ingredients
- 22 ounces baked beans 2 large, or 4 smaller cans
- 1 cup white onion diced
- ½ cup green bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons pork rub
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cloves garlic chopped fine
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 180°F or set it to super smoke mode if available.
- Add the beans in a disposable aluminum pan. Add the diced onion, diced bell pepper, mustard, Worcestershire, BBQ rub, chopped garlic and optional brown sugar. Mix well.
- Smoke uncovered at 180°F for 1 hour to let the beans absorb smoke flavor.
- Increase the heat to 300–325°F and once simmering gently, cook for 30 to 40 minutes, uncovered, until the beans are gently bubbling and the sauce thickens to your liking.
- Remove from the smoker and let them sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use a strong wood like hickory or oak to give the beans a deeper smoky backbone
- Keep an eye on the heat when you turn it up to prevent burning the bottom layer
- Want more heat? Add a diced jalapeno.
- These beans hold well, so you can make them an hour in advance and keep them warm in your slow cooker or smoker.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.