In my quest to eat healthy 80% of the time, I rarely cook or keep certain foods around the house for fear – nay, knowing – that my lack of self control around them will no doubt tip the scales in the exact opposite direction, sending me straight into I need dis mode. Such foods include:
Chips. Any and all kinds, but especially these and these, my gosh.
Dried mango. Sure, a small handful qualifies as a healthy snack – but half the bag? Not so much.
Summer sausage. Yep.
Graham crackers. Especially when there’s white frosting involved.
Judy’s Baked Beans. Ahhhh, sweet, salty, luscious Judy’s Baked Beans! Another one of my Mom’s recipes that I grew up eating…and eating…and eating… My appetite knows no bounds when it comes to this summer-friendly side dish, but they are well worth the occasional splurge.
What’s makes Judy’s Baked Beans so special is the addition of contrasting flavors like sweet brown sugar and crushed pineapple, and savory steak sauce and kielbasa in the mix. They are seriously the best baked beans to ever cross my lips.
The recipe comes from my Mom’s aunt’s friend’s cousin’s uncle’s dentist. You know – one of those recipes. We still have no idea who Judy is but, darn it, we sure do love her beans!
They’re really easy to make, too. Start with 3lbs VanCamp’s Pork & Beans. The name is weird because there’s actually less than 2% pork in the beans, but whatevs!
Drain off some of the liquid in the can, then pour the beans into a large bowl.
Next add 1 large chopped onion, and 1 can crushed pineapple that’s been drained.
Then add more sweet and savory ingredients like 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons steak sauce, and 1 Tablespoon regular mustard.
 
 
I know, me too!
Stir everything together to combine.
Next chop 1 package kielbasa and stir it into the mix. I halve then quarter the kilebasa to get nice, bite-sized pieces. (PS this is my favorite part of the beans!)
 
Pour the beans into a non-stick sprayed 9×13 baking dish (I made a half recipe when I was taking photos so what you see below is an 8×8.)
Layer 1/2 package bacon on top, then slather the bacon with 3/4 cup ketchup. Gee, no wonder I like these beans so much – they’re covered in bacon!
 
Bake for 2 hours at 250 degrees until the bacon is deeply caramelized. I didn’t let mine get that deep because, well, I was hungry and you seriously have no idea how intoxicatingly delicious these smell while cooking! But for reals, wait ’til it’s deeply caramelized. You’ll be glad ya’ did. ;)
Let the beans sit at room temperature for 10 minutes after baking, then ladle ’em up.
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Judy’s Baked Beans
Description
Judy's Baked Beans is an old family recipe for baked beans. They truly are the best ever!
Ingredients
- 3lbs VanCamp's pork & beans
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 small can crushed pineapple, slightly drained
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons steak sauce
- 1 Tablespoon mustard
- 1 package kielbasa, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/2 package bacon
- 3/4 cup ketchup
Directions
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Drain some of the liquid off the top of the can of beans then mix with onion, crushed pineapple, brown sugar, steak sauce, mustard, and kielbasa in a large bowl. Pour mixture into a non-stick sprayed 9x13 baking dish then lay bacon strips across the top. Spread ketchup on top of the bacon and bake for 2 hours, or until the top is deeply caramelized. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Video
Creamy, sweet – not too sweet! – and so rich and satisfying. Like I said – no self control around these babies!
I usually enjoy an occasional bowl of ’em at my parent’s house in the summertime, when my Mom makes a big batch for my birthday or a special BBQ, but sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and bake a big, self-control defying batch yourself. Holla!
I hear this recipe freezes well, but if my licked plate is any indication, I doubt we’ll ever know for sure.
These looked so delicious that half way through reading it I got up and opened a can of bush’s baked beans I had in the cabinet. seriously…I just did that :0) I hardly ever eat baked beans but seriously these gave me an INSTANT craving. Now of course I only partially satisfied my craving with the can version, this homemade version is to be made asap!
Yumm. Hyvee brand salt and vinegar kettle chips. I will eat them until my tonge is raw.
Pop tarts. Yeah, not quality food at all but got some reason…
Chips. Particularly cheddar and sour cream and dill pickle.
And, cottage cheese. Healthy snack but not when you eat half a container in one sitting.
Any willy wonka candy….runts, taffy, nerds….and soft pretzels in the microwave. Especially if we have jalapeño cheese dip. Naughty.
My weakness is totally anything sweet…cookies, cake, etc and also salty…so chips are pretty dangerous as well!
Peanut butter M&Ms and saltwater taffy.
Ummm, these look amazing. Thanks Judy, whoever you are. ;) If there are chips in the house, they are not safe. I will eat them until I cannot move. Tortilla chips, pretzel crisps, pita chips, Wavy Lays; I don’t discriminate. I’ll demolish ’em all!
I can NOT have Nutella in this house. I say I’m buying it for the kids and then suddenly I’m standing there with a spoon…..
I hate to be crude, but my husband is going on a week-long business trip in late July.
I don’t tend to eat beans when he’s around, due to my own, um, digestive issues, but I’m going to tell you right now that I’m going to make up a pan of this on Monday and eat them until Friday the week that he’s gone.
My kitchen kryptonite is cheese crackers – goldfish, Cheez-Its, you name it. I can’t restrain myself when they are in the house, so I don’t buy them any more.
When I want baked beans, I always just buy a can of Bush’s baked beans. One of these times, I need to get motivated and actually MAKE baked beans! This recipe does look good.
Salt & Vinegar kettle chips. I can demolish a bag of them in less than 24 hours. Cincinnati chili is another one I can inhale, especially when it’s on top of a big plate of fries!
This looks delish! Love the idea of adding kielbasa!
As far as food that shouldn’t make it into my house (but often does)….mini-Snickers bars (courtesy of my Snickers-addicted fiance) and tortilla chips with guacamole. Guacamole is also a healthy snack, but I will eat the entire thing with half a bag of chips if left to my own devices.
This sounds really great. We found this great recipe for baked beans a few years ago and it is pretty awesome too. Anytime we take it somewhere it disappears and people beg for the recipe:
This looks amazing!!!…. Well I am from the Chicago area….We would add all these things to beans…but also add giardiniera to give the beans a kick!!! ( I saw giardiniera at the Des Moines Costco last weekend)
I found your blog while searching for a maid-rite recipe, and started to follow you. Today, I was just thinking that baked beans would be good this weekend, and voi la! That, in addition to the fact that I, too, cannot keep certain foods around the house AND the fact that you use the word “copious” (which I love), all make me very happy to have found your blog!
I have a problem with cereal. I could eat a whole box in a day or 2. Bad!
Baked goods… cookies, cupcakes, muffins… they are gone instantly!
Homemade cookies and ice cream!
Chips and ice cream. I can’t handle myself around either.
I’ve never even thought to make baked beans from scratch. I guess I always just listed it in my head as one of those foods that comes solely from cans. These looks so good, I’ll have to try it!
Wavy Lays and Top the Tater — I will find myself opening the bag and dipping chips without even realizing what I’m doing. Not good.