The original oven baked beans of our childhoods were always SO good; cooked with lots of bacon and sweet molasses. Only problem is, they take a long time to prepare and cook.
As our children were growing up, we did a lot of camping, and cooked on a Coleman Stove and the camp's grill. We always enjoyed having baked beans with our grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. But, without an oven, and having a time constraint out in the campgrounds, oven baked beans was not an option. Therefore, my hubby, Bob, came up with his own version of camper baked beans, which he named Bob's Top-of-the-Stove baked beans.
After our children grew up, they began to make this recipe both in camp and at home. Quite quick to prepare and always tasty, it has become a standard favorite in our family.
Bob's Top-of-the-Stove Baked Beans Recipe
Ingredients
Serves 4
1 can pork & beans (we usually use Van Camp's).
Several slices of bacon*
½ to 1 diced onion*
Mustard to taste
Ketchup to taste
1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
Brown Sugar to taste
Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Cut up bacon slices into one or two inch squares. Chop the onion.
- Begin by sauteing the bacon and onion together. When done to your preference, pour off excess bacon grease (leaving a small bit for flavor).
- Add the can of Pork & Beans.
- Add all the other ingredients.
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes to heat through and blend all the ingredients.
- As the beans simmer, add more ketchup and/or brown sugar to your tasting preference. This is an extremely variable recipe, so exact amounts are not given in the ingredients. Personally, I prefer lots of ketchup and enough brown sugar for that 'sweet' taste. Taste and adjust amounts to your own satisfaction as the beans simmer.
NOTE: We always used a Corning Ware pan (as shown in the accompanying pictures), so everything can be cooked in one pan. Otherwise, you might wish to saute the bacon and onion in a frying pan, then add them and the other ingredients together in a sauce pan.
*Explanation for the *starred items in the recipe: the number of bacon strips and the amount of onion used are negotiable! Personally, we like LOTS of bacon and plenty of onion. Adjust each to your own personal preference.
Summary
Bob's Top-of-the-Stove Baked Beans Recipe is easy & quick, and definitely delicious. And it's one of those recipes that works equally as well cooked on the stove-top in your kitchen or on a camp stove at a campsite.
It is most definitely a favorite in our family.
*All images are the personal photos of (c) Wednesday Elf
*Bob's Top-of-the-Stove Baked Beans Recipe is brought to you by Wednesday Elf
Wow!! what a quick and easy family recipe. I like the fact that it is so versitle to make it to your taste. I'm with you on the bacon and brown sugar the more the better. This is one I'll be giving a try.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked my (Bob's) baked beans recipe, Sam. I've always liked YOUR family recipes, as you know. :)
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious and are extremely similar to the stovetop “baked” beans I used to make for many years. I also added a pinch of warm spices to mine (cloves, cinnamon and ginger) and used lots of molasses and brown sugar. So good! Thanks for sharing Bob’s easy and delicious recipe, Elf!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I never used dill pickle juice, but it sounds like a delicious addition!
ReplyDeleteI actually don't use dill pickle juice in MY version of Bob's recipe, Margaret, but Vilasic dill pickles were his favorite and he liked the addition of a bit of pickle juice in his beans recipe! :)
DeleteWe love baked beans (and Corningware). I don't know why I don't cook them more often. I simply don't think of them when I am planning meals. Like you, I associate them with cookouts, but they are delicious with almost any meal. Thanks for the reminder and for sharing Bob's recipe.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, I haven't thought of baked beans for ages and ages. We too used to make these as a camping meal for our family. So good on those cool nights by the tent. This recipe sounds delicious and I think I will have to make this soon. It'll help relive some great memories of days gone by! Thanks for the recipe Pat Austin!
ReplyDeleteThat make-shift recipe looks and sounds so good. I could eat a big bowl of that right now. Mom made baked-beans like you all did from scratch too, and they do take a long time - this recipe is an ideal shortcut in my opinion, especially for camping.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds a lovely tasty family recipe and so quick and easy to make! Thank you for your family recipe :)
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