Crockpot Bacon Bourbon Baked Beans

By Jill-4

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry navy beans
• 10 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce
• 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

Preparation

Step 1

The night before, add beans to a large pot and cover with water. Drain the next morning.
Bring beans to a boil in a large pot of water, let simmer for 30-40 minutes, then drain. While beans are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add bacon. Cook until crispy and fat is rendered, then remove bacon with a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onion, cooking for 8-10 minutes, until caramely and soft. Add in garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then turn off heat.

Add water, bourbon, brown sugar, bbq sauce, ketchup, ground mustard, vinegar, molasses and worcestershire sauce to the crockpot and whisk well to combine. Add in beans, onions (and all of the bacon fat) and bacon to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours, stirring occasionally. After 10-12 hours, turn crockpot to “warm” setting or turn off completely and let sit anywhere from 30 minutes-2 hours, which will help the sauce for the beans thicken even more. These taste even better the next day!

Note:
after 10-12 hours the liquid may still seem “liquidy.” It is imperative to let the beans sit for a while on the lower setting (or on the off setting, still covered) so they become thick and syrupy like traditional baked beans.