by Jeanni Ritchie
July celebrates National Baked Bean Month just in time for Independence Day festivities! This side staple is not only delicious, it’s good for you.
The Michigan Bean Commission founded National Baked Bean Month in 1981 to promote all the benefits of the beans. There are a few!
They contain more fiber than many whole grains and are nearly fat-free. Beans are high in protein, too. From a nutrient standpoint, beans are a terrific source of calcium, iron, folic acid, and potassium. They may also help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
Baked beans are great for potlucks and can easily be doubled or tripled, depending on the crowd you are serving.
A recent visit to Outlaw’s found me discussing their famous baked beans with an employee. “We use Bush’s Baked Beans as the base,” she’d said.
“Cool,” I’d replied. “Do you want to share the rest of the recipe?”
We both laughed as she told me the rest was top secret.
Mine isn’t, however, and it can be multiplied according to need. It’s always a hit at gatherings and is super easy to prepare. The “secret” is two kinds of barbecue sauce and lots of ground beef.
Ingredients:
◦ 1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained
◦ 55 oz can of baked beans, drained
◦ 28 oz sweet barbecue sauce (such as Kraft Sweet Brown Sugar)
◦ 28 oz savory barbecue sauce (such as Sweet Baby Ray’s Kicking Bourbon)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add the sweet barbecue sauce to the cooked ground beef. Add the savory barbecue sauce to the baked beans. Mix together and pour into greased 9×13 dish. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.
Share your favorite baked bean recipe or follow the month by using #BakedBeanMonth on social media.
