Brisket Baked Beans
intro
Smoky, hearty baked beans loaded with tender leftover smoked brisket in a sweet-savory BBQ sauce, a classic cookout side packed with rich, deep flavor.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and ingredients
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F), then lightly grease a 23x33cm (9x13 inch) glass baking dish with nonstick spray. Chop the smoked cooked brisket into 1cm (1/2 inch) cubes, drain and rinse the canned navy beans, finely dice the yellow onion and green bell pepper, and mince the garlic to the measured quantities.
Sauté aromatic vegetables
Heat 2 tbsp (28g) of bacon grease or neutral canola oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat (160°C/325°F pan temperature). Add the diced onion and green bell pepper, cooking for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for a further 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant—do not let the garlic burn, as it will turn bitter.
Mix the BBQ sauce base
To the skillet of cooked aromatics, add the measured ketchup, packed light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Stir continuously over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, until the brown sugar fully dissolves and the sauce is smooth, glossy, and evenly combined.
Fold in beans and brisket
Remove the skillet from heat. Add the drained, rinsed navy beans and chopped smoked brisket to the sauce, folding gently with a silicone spatula until all beans and brisket pieces are evenly coated in sauce. Stir slowly to avoid mashing the tender beans, which would make the dish mushy.
Transfer to baking dish
Pour the entire bean and brisket mixture into the pre-greased baking dish, spreading it into a flat, even layer with the spatula to ensure consistent cooking. Cover the dish tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil, crimping the edges firmly around the dish rim to trap steam during baking.
Bake until bubbly
Place the covered dish on the middle rack of the preheated 175°C (350°F) oven. Bake for 45 minutes with the foil on, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes uncovered, for a total baking time of 60 minutes. The beans are done when the sauce is thick, bubbling vigorously around the dish edges, and the top is lightly caramelized.
Rest before serving
Remove the baked beans from the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes at room temperature to allow the sauce to thicken and set, rather than serving immediately when the sauce is thin and runny. Serve warm alongside grilled meats, cornbread, or coleslaw.
Tips
2.If your brisket has a mild smoke level, add 1/4 tsp (1g) of liquid smoke or 1 tbsp (15g) of your favorite BBQ rub to the sauce to boost that classic campfire smoky taste.
3.These beans taste even better when made 1–2 days ahead: let them cool completely, store covered in the refrigerator, and reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 20 minutes before serving, as the flavors meld and deepen as they rest.
OMG these smoky brisket baked beans were an absolute game changer for my weekend cookout! I used leftover smoked brisket from the night before and added an extra splash of apple cider vinegar for a little tang, and everyone was begging for the recipe. Quick question though – has anyone tried making these in a slow cooker instead of the oven?
Made these last night for family dinner and my picky 7 year old asked for SECONDS? I was shocked, he usually turns his nose up at any bean dish! Super easy to throw together even on a chaotic weeknight, no fancy ingredients required. Only note is mine came out a little soupier than the photos looked, did I do something wrong?
SO good! I prepped a big batch of these for my weekly meal prep and they held up perfectly all week in the fridge, even tasted better on day 3 when the flavors had time to meld. Easy recipe, minimal cleanup, will be on regular rotation for sure.
Brought these to my neighborhood block party last weekend and the pan was scraped clean in 20 minutes flat. People kept asking if I spent hours making them from scratch, little did they know how straightforward the recipe is! The smoky flavor from the brisket is unmatched, no boring canned baked beans here.
I’m super new to cooking and was nervous to make something for my girlfriend’s family dinner, but this recipe was so easy to follow! I didn’t mess anything up and everyone raved about it. 1 hour 30 minutes was totally accurate cook time too, no surprises. Thank you for a stress-free recipe!
I added a diced jalapeño and a pinch of cayenne to mine to give it a little kick, and it was chef’s kiss. The brisket adds such a deep, meaty flavor that regular baked beans just don’t have. Will definitely be making these for our Fourth of July cookout this year!
Perfect use for the leftover brisket I had sitting in the freezer from last month’s smoke. I was worried it would be dried out but chopping it up and mixing it into these beans brought it right back to life. 10/10, no notes.
So happy this recipe is naturally gluten free as long as you use the right BBQ sauce! I swapped in my favorite GF hickory BBQ sauce and couldn’t tell a difference from the regular version. Finally a baked bean recipe I can bring to potlucks without worrying about cross contamination.
Made these for our after-church Sunday supper with the grandkids and they all loved them! I used a little extra brown sugar because my family likes our beans on the sweeter side, and it turned out just perfect. Reminded me of the baked beans my mom used to make when I was little, just with that extra smoky kick from the brisket.