Instant Pot Barbecue Beans
By Lawman JohnsonPublished on April 20, 2022
Time
1¼ hours, plus 8 hours brining
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Regular bacon can be used in place of the thick-cut bacon, if desired. If you are short on time, you can quick-brine your beans: In step 1, bring 1½ tablespoons of salt, 2 quarts of water, and the beans to a boil in the Instant Pot using the highest sauté function; turn off the pot; and let the beans sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans and proceed with step 2.
Instructions
- Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and let soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon fat is rendered and onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in beans.
- Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 9 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
- Stir in ketchup, sugar, molasses, and mustard. Using highest sauté function, bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and let cool for 10 minutes (beans will continue to thicken as they cool). Stir in vinegar and serve.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 8 hours briningYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Baked beans are often cooked low and slow for a just-right texture and plenty of flavor development. Using a multicooker can save time without sacrificing flavor; it just requires a little strategy. We employed a three-part method: brining, pressure cooking, and simmering. Brining the beans required a little planning, but it paid off, as brined beans take less time to cook, hold their shape better, and are well seasoned due to the added salt. The even heat and closed cooking environment of the Instant Pot cooked the beans in minutes rather than hours, all the while coaxing flavor into the beans. For a tasty base, we used the Instant Pot's sauté function to render the fat from smoky thick-cut bacon and caramelize finely chopped onion. We then added a liberal amount of minced garlic, chili powder, salt, and cayenne along with chicken broth, which provided more depth than water. Only 9 minutes under pressure was all it took for tender beans. Calling on that sauté function again, we stirred ketchup, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and molasses into the cooked beans and simmered them for about 8 minutes to create that signature flavor. A short rest before serving gave the beans time to cool and thicken to the ideal consistency. A little splash of cider vinegar added a pleasant tang and welcome brightness to these barbecue “baked” beans.
Before You Begin
Regular bacon can be used in place of the thick-cut bacon, if desired. If you are short on time, you can quick-brine your beans: In step 1, bring 1½ tablespoons of salt, 2 quarts of water, and the beans to a boil in the Instant Pot using the highest sauté function; turn off the pot; and let the beans sit for 1 hour. Drain and rinse the beans and proceed with step 2.
Instructions
- Dissolve 1½ tablespoons salt in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Add beans and let soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
- Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add bacon and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon fat is rendered and onion is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in beans.
- Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 9 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
- Stir in ketchup, sugar, molasses, and mustard. Using highest sauté function, bring to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and let cool for 10 minutes (beans will continue to thicken as they cool). Stir in vinegar and serve.
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