Instant Pot Baked Beans

Instant Pot Baked Beans

A grilling and summer staple, baked beans are a sweet and zesty side dish that packs a tasty punch. Bacon, vinegar, liquid smoke, brown sugar and molasses all impart a delicious blanket of flavor. Whenever I’m asked to bring a side dish to summer get-togethers, this is what I bring! As with all of my beans, this requires no soaking and makes enough to freeze for a later date (because we all know how summer days are jam packed!). Salty from the bacon and sweet from the brown sugar and molasses, this is the yin to your yang. As always, you can omit the Worcestershire, if necessary, as it contains fish.

Ingredients

  • 1 (12-oz [340-g]) package bacon
  • 1 large red onion, diced small
  • 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced small
  • 1 lb (455 g) dried great northern beans, rinsed
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3¾ cups (885 ml) water
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) gluten-free Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp liquid smoke
  • ¹/³ cup (75 g) light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (170 g) molasses
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 oz (225 g) tomato sauce
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) cold water
  • 3 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch or arrowroot powder

Instructions

  1. Using kitchen shears, cut your bacon into bite-size pieces and place them in your Instant Pot.
  2. Hit sauté and cook the bacon until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on a paper towel–lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
  4. Remove all but about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the bacon grease.
  5. Turn off the sauté function and add your onion, bell pepper, beans, salt, black pepper, water, vinegar and Worcestershire.
  6. Use the pressure button to set your Instant Pot to high pressure.
  7. Close the lid and hit manual; then use the plus and minus buttons to reach 45 minutes.
  8. When the timer is done, let the pressure release naturally (about 10 minutes).
  9. Open the lid and add your liquid smoke, brown sugar, molasses, garlic and tomato sauce.
  10. Hit sauté and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
  11. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch.
  12. Once the sauce is boiling, add the slurry.
  13. Allow the mixture to boil, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it reaches your desired thickness (the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools).
  14. Add bacon at the end.