Are you tired of the same old canned baked beans? Take it up a notch with my Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans. This recipe features juicy onions, a great blend of spices, hearty meat, and a shot of whiskey for good measure. It comes together on the Traeger Ironwood XL, giving it a beautiful kiss of smoke. 

This recipe is an excellent compromise between making baked beans entirely from scratch and settling for canned varieties. It uses shortcut ingredients that allow you to get dinner on the table in no time! This side dish is perfect for any family picnic, work potluck, or Sunday dinner. One bite, and you’ll be hooked! 

Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans: Heath Riles BBQ

The best thing about Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans is the variables. For example, add your choice of meat like bacon, brisket, ground beef, or even hot dogs. You can also switch up the texture by adding the liquid from the canned beans or draining it. The possibilities are endless!

The Ingredients

What exactly goes into homemade baked beans? The answer might surprise you! I’m guessing you have some of these ingredients on hand already. If not, here’s what you need to add to your shopping cart. 

Bacon Up Bacon Grease. A little bacon grease makes everything taste better! I love keeping a tub of Bacon Up on hand to add flavor to baked beans, quesadillas, and more. 

Veggies. To add texture, I added diced onion and bell pepper. This also added a hint of color, a welcome addition to any plate. 

Jack Daniels Whiskey. Nothing beats a shot of Jack! The alcohol cooks out of the baked beans, leaving behind the perfect kiss of bourbon. Once you make your beans this way, you’ll never go back. 

Bear & Burton’s W Sauce. This Worcestershire sauce comes from my good buddies. It’s based on their family recipe and is a staple for any kitchen. I add a dash to burgers, meatloaf, and more. 

Bush’s Original Baked Beans. Canned baked beans are a great shortcut that, with a few additions, tastes homemade. I drained the liquid off mine to keep the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans thick and hearty. 

Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce. This BBQ sauce was made for sweeties! It took me over 10 years to develop this recipe, and it was worth it! This ketchup-based sauce is great on its own or paired with a vinegar-based sauce. 

Heath Riles BBQ Sweet Rub. If you’re looking for a good, sweet rub with a hint of heat, try this one. It’s great on chicken, baked beans, pork, burgers, and veggies. It features a blend of sugar, paprika, onion, and garlic. 

The Smoker Setup

Here’s the main equipment I used for this recipe. More of my grilling favorites can be found in the Equipment and Tools section. 

• Pellet grill/smoker. I cooked these Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans on the Traeger Ironwood XL.  This pit is incredible because you can use it to grill or smoke. The Traeger Ironwood XL has many excellent features, like a pellet sensor, a super smoke button, and easy transportation. 

You can’t go wrong with the Traeger Ironwood XL if you cook large quantities of food. It’s roomy without taking up your entire patio. Plus, it’s ultra-durable, lasting for years!

• Charcoal. I stoked the pit with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets. I love this brand because you get clean smoke with no fillers. It gives the beans a rich, deep flavor that tastes authentic. 

The Process for Making Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans

You’ll find a visual demonstration of this recipe in the video, but for now, here’s a quick rundown of how I pulled this dish together. 

1. Fire up the grill. I stoked the Traeger Ironwood XL with Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood Pellets and fired it up to 425℉. 
2. Cook the veggies. While the grill fired up, I preheated a large cast iron dutch oven. I added a dollop of Bacon Up Bacon Grease to the pan, then the diced onion and pepper. I let the veggies cook down for about 10 minutes, until softened. 
3. Add whiskey. Once the veggies were soft, I lowered the grill’s temp to 375℉.added a shot of Jack Daniels whiskey, and let the alcohol evaporate for a few seconds. Then, I added a dash of Bear & Burton’s W Sauce, followed by the drained baked beans.
4. Add meat. I folded in the brown sugar, then added a dash of French’s yellow mustard, and a bottle of Heath Riles BBQ Sweet BBQ Sauce. I finished the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans with 3 tablespoons of Heath Riles BBQ Sweet Rub and some delicious pulled pork. 
5. Start cooking. I shut the Traeger Ironwood XL and let the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Beans cook for 2 hours. I stirred the beans and let them go for another hour. 

The Results

This ain’t your Mama’s baked beans! This recipe came off the pit full of flavor, smoke, and a little heat. The brown sugar caramelized the beans to perfection, giving them the ideal sticky-sweet texture. 

Storing Leftovers

You can store leftover baked beans in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze them for up to 6 months. 

Equipment and Tools

Cast iron pan, Traeger Ironwood XL, Royal Oak Charcoal Hardwood pellets, disposable cutting board, Heath Riles Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves, ThermoWorks Hi-Temp Spatula.