Canned baked beans are a staple in many UK households, known for their convenience and versatility. Whether served at barbecues, for breakfast, or as a side dish, they are a quick and easy option. However, one chef claims that with a single ingredient, these beans can taste significantly better.
The Secret Ingredient
Carol, a personal chef with 22 years of experience and creator of the food blog From A Chef's Kitchen, recommends adding mustard to canned baked beans. She suggests using spicy brown mustard, but Dijon or yellow mustard work as well. The mustard helps balance the sweetness of the beans while adding extra flavor.
According to Carol, this simple addition transforms ordinary canned beans into a dish that tastes homemade. The recipe also includes bacon, onion, ketchup, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce, creating a richer sauce.
How to Upgrade Your Baked Beans
Carol's recipe has become one of her most popular, receiving hundreds of five-star reviews. The dish can be prepared ahead of time, assembled up to two days before baking. She advises using original-style baked beans rather than flavored varieties like maple or smoky, which may clash with the other ingredients.
Carol's Best Canned Baked Beans Recipe
- Cooking spray
- 6 slices bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 cans original baked beans (16oz each), undrained
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 to 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 175C and lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook the bacon in a frying pan until crisp, then transfer to kitchen paper. Keep the bacon fat in the pan.
- Add the onion and cook until soft. Add a splash of water if the pan becomes dry.
- Add the beans, onion, three-quarters of the bacon, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce to the baking dish and mix together.
- Taste and add more brown sugar if desired. Stir in the apple cider vinegar if using.
- Scatter the remaining bacon over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 50 minutes to one hour until bubbling and lightly caramelised.
- Serve hot.
Carol emphasizes that with just a few common ingredients, you can elevate canned baked beans to a dish that tastes homemade. The recipe is perfect for those who love the convenience of canned beans but want more flavor.
