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This dutch oven baked beans recipe is so easy to make and incredibly flavorful! Loaded with smoky chunks of ham hock, beans, and barbeque sauce, this delicious recipe can easily pass for a meal or hearty side for your next potluck!
I love baked beans just as much as the next person, but I really love the process of making it as much as I do eating it.
There are so many different routes to take when making your own beans. You can add bacon, ham, or, in this case, smoked ham hock.
You are going to absolutely love this recipe, especially when paired with these stuffed venison backstraps or my pork belly burnt ends!
Besides, this side dish goes with all the best BBQ foods! Serve it alongside your favorite bacon elk cheeseburger or cast iron ribeye steak recipe!
These baked beans are incredible with oven baked beef back beef ribs or pork spare ribs!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- It’s easy: Bake the hock, combine the ingredients, and bake until warm. That’s it!
- It’s different: Not a lot of baked beans call for ham hock! Actually, there are not a lot of ham hock recipes, period. This is a fantastic and fun way to make this recipe.
- It’s family-friendly: Perhaps with the exception of the cayenne pepper, this is the perfect side dish for any family.
Recipe ingredients
- Ham hock: A smoky, flavorful addition that adds depth and richness to the beans.
- Pinto beans: The base of the dish, providing a hearty and satisfying texture.
- Bell pepper: Adds color, sweetness, and a touch of crunch.
- Onion: Provides a savory base of flavor and adds depth to the dish.
- Avocado oil: A neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, ideal for searing the ham hock.
- Barbecue sauce: Adds a tangy and smoky flavor profile.
- Apple cider vinegar: Provides a bright acidity that balances the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and helps to caramelize the sauce.
- Ground black pepper: Adds heat and enhances the overall flavor.
- Smoked paprika: Adds a smoky, earthy flavor that complements the ham hock.
- Cayenne pepper: Adds a touch of heat, optional for those who prefer a milder dish.
Dutch oven baked beans recipe
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. While the oven is preheating, add a splash of olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear both cut sides of the ham hock for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side.
Step 2: Add 1 cup of water to the pot, cover, and bake at 350° for an hour and 40 minutes.
Step 3: Once the meat is done, transfer it to a plate and let it cool slightly before shredding it with a fork.
Step 4: Saute the bell pepper and onion in the Dutch oven. I drain most of the grease from the Dutch oven, leaving about a tablespoon to sauté the vegetables.
Step 5: Add the drained beans, shredded ham hock, barbecue sauce, and seasonings to the pot. Note: Drain the liquid from 3 of the 4 cans of beans before adding them to the pot. This will help to prevent the sauce from becoming too watery.
Step 6: Stir in well, then transfer back to the oven to bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
Expert tips
The meat will pull away from the bone and shred easily with a fork when it is done.
Let the meat cool before pulling it apart with a fork.
Don’t overcook the beans. The beans should be tender but not mushy. Cook them until they are just heated through.
These baked beans do have a bit of a kick, especially if you add the cayenne pepper. If you prefer a sweeter baked beans recipe, add a little more brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup and leave out the cayenne pepper.
Serving suggestions
Baked beans are such a simple recipe while, at the same time, outrageously delicious! But what goes well with baked beans? Let me tell you, it pairs so well with so many different recipes. Here are just a few!
- Rosemary garlic tenderloin
- Cast iron brats
- Dutch oven fried chicken tenders
- Venison meatloaf
- Cast iron burgers
- Venison steaks
- Classic cast iron cornbread
Cooking ham hocks with baked beans Is an excellent way to use up that ham in your freezer, especially if you bought a hog from a local farmer and were not quite sure how to cook it.
We all know those cuts that get pushed to the back of the freezer – I’m talking about the pig’s tail and pigs feet.
Recipe FAQs
While pinto beans are a classic choice for baked beans, you can also use other types of beans, such as kidney beans or navy beans.
Yes, you can make this recipe ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes! Just cook the bacon according to the package instructions, then add to the rest of the ingredients.
Related recipes
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Dutch Oven Baked Beans
Equipment
- 6 qt dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 ham hock
- 4 cans of pinto beans 15.5 oz
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 1 large onion diced
- Avocado oil
- 3/4 cup of your favorite barbeque sauce
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Heat the dutch oven to medium-high heat with a dash of oil and sear the hock for 1 ½ minutes on each side.
- Add 1 cup of water to the pot, cover, and bake at 350° for an hour and 40 minutes.
- Once the meat is done, transfer it to a plate, allow it to cool enough to handle, and shred it with a fork.
- Saute the bell pepper and onion in the Dutch oven. I drain most of the grease from the Dutch oven, leaving about a tablespoon to sauté the vegetables.
- Add the beans and meat back in, along with the rest of the ingredients. (drain the liquid from 3 of the cans first)
- Stir in well, then transfer back to the oven to bake uncovered for about 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- If you like your baked beans on the thicker side, you can drain all the cans of beans before adding them to the dutch oven.
- You can tell the meat is done if it pulls away from the bone easily.
- Don’t overcook the beans. The beans should be tender but not mushy. Cook them until they are just heated through.
- These baked beans do have a bit of a kick, especially if you add the cayenne pepper. If you prefer a sweeter baked beans recipe, add a little more brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup and leave out the cayenne pepper.
Do you drain the canned beans before adding?
Generally I’ll add the liquid from one of the cans and drain the rest. However, you can also drain all the cans for thicker baked beans.