Beefy Baked Beans
A Tasty Revival
These Beefy Baked Beans are a throwback from the 1970s. They’re easy to make “homemade” using a few fresh ingredients and canned beans.
This cuts down on cook time but gives an all day baked flavor perfect for parties and potlucks. Serve with hot dogs for a beanie weenie meal.
Family Recipes
This recipe is another recipe gifted to me from Mr. Tipsy’s Mom. Years ago when she was sick and before she died, she gave me her “holy bible” of recipes she wrote and collected from her friends and family.
This is one of the many recipes she collected over her 65 years and it came from a friend of hers. Like most of these collected recipes, Rose simply wrote down vague measurements with ingredients.
She was like me and liked to put her own twist on things she liked or had on hand. This is how I design most of my recipes.
Knowing you can customize your taste preferences without ruining recipes is a good lesson to learn. Feel free to take the liberty to change any of my recipes.
Simple Ingredients
This recipe uses canned beans but adds cooked ground beef and onions for flavor. I buy the lean ground beef for this recipe but you can use whatever you can afford.
Just make sure you drain the beef if you buy the higher fat content. You don’t want the beans to be too greasy.
Even without the extra fat, you shouldn’t lack for depth of flavor. The onions and hot honey will make sure of that.
Sweet As Honey
I used this Heinz 57 Infused Honey for the recipe. I think it added great flavor, but you can use any kind of honey you like.
Not everyone is going to like spicy honey or spicy food in general, but if you’re willing to try it you may find hot honey is your new favorite ingredient.
It’s also a great condiment as well, on everything from pizza to sausages if you’re feeling really wild.
I bought this honey at Meijer and have been dying to try it. This recipe was the perfect chance to add it.
Beefy Baked Beans
These Beefy Baked Beans are a throwback from the 1970's. Easy to make "homemade" with using a few fresh ingredients and canned beans. This cuts down on cook time, but gives an all day baked flavor. Perfect for parties and potlucks. Serve with hot dogs for a beanie weenie meal.
Ingredients
- 1 28 ounce can and 1 16 ounce can of Bush's Original Baked Beans
- 1/4 cup of ketchup
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of honey ( I used Heinz 57 Honey, pictured in post)
- 1.5 lbs of ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon of garlic salt
- black pepper
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons of butter
Instructions
- Sauté the diced onion in a skillet in the butter. Sauté until soft then add the ground beef.
- Cook the ground beef until it is fully cooked. Make sure you are using a spatula, spoon or ground meat chopper to break the ground beef up into a fine crumble. You will stretch this serving size further if you make sure the ground beef is broken up.
- I did not need to drain my beef, but you may need to based off what fat content you use. After you drain, if needed, add your dry seasonings and then taste and adjust if you think it needs more for what YOU like.
- Sauté for a minute or two, taste again and then add your honey, ketchup and brown sugar. Sauté for about ten minutes.
- Next add the cans of beans.
- Let this simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If you have an oven safe skillet, place the beans in the oven and bake for 35 minutes. I added my bean mixture to a casserole dish.
- When the beans are done baking, let them sit for 15 minutes before serving.
- Optional, you can add the beans to a crock pot after simmering on the stove and cook low 6 to 8 hours and then keep warm in the crock.
Another Great Recipe
If you love this vintage recipe, give this recipe for Chicken Spread a try. This chicken spread was a huge hit at a family party this past Father’s Day.