BBQ “Baked” Beans

Serves: 8

Sweet, smoky baked-style beans made in the Instant Pot using store-bought barbecue sauce and a few pantry staples to build flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon fine sea salt\
  • 2½ cups (1 pound) dried great Northern beans\
  • 1⅓ cups water\
  • 1 cup barbecue sauce\
  • ¼ cup prepared yellow mustard\
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup\
  • 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper\
  • 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika\
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil\
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced\
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced\
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  1. Soak the beans
    In a large bowl, stir together 6 cups water and the salt. Add the beans and let soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and set aside.

  2. Mix the sauce
    In a measuring cup or small bowl, stir together the water, barbecue sauce, mustard, maple syrup, black pepper, and smoked paprika.

  3. Sauté aromatics
    Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot. Add the oil and heat for about 2 minutes. Add the diced onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until it begins to caramelize. Add the garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes more, until no longer raw.

  4. Combine ingredients
    Add the barbecue sauce mixture, soaked beans, and bay leaf. Stir to combine, using a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

  5. Pressure cook
    Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press Cancel, then select Manual, Pressure Cook, or Bean/Chili setting. Cook for 40 minutes at high pressure.
    (The pot may take about 20 minutes to come up to pressure before cooking begins.)

  6. Release pressure
    When the cooking program ends, let the pressure release naturally for 35 minutes, then move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam.

  7. Finish and serve
    Open the pot, stir the beans, and discard the bay leaf. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

  • Beans can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.\
  • If the sauce seems thin after cooking, simmer on Sauté for a few minutes to thicken.\
  • Different barbecue sauces will change the sweetness and smokiness, adjust maple syrup or paprika to taste.