- Cook the Bacon & Sausage – In a skillet, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove and set aside, then brown the sausage in the same pan. Drain excess grease.
- Sauté the Veggies – In the same skillet, add diced onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant and golden.
- Mix It All Together – In a large baking dish or Dutch oven, combine beans, cooked bacon, sausage, onions, and garlic. Stir in barbecue sauce, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Bake Low & Slow – Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Cover and bake for 1 hour, then uncover and bake another 20–30 minutes until thickened.
- Serve Hot – Garnish with extra bacon if you want to make it irresistible.
The First Bite Experience
The fork scoops up tender beans coated in a thick, smoky-sweet sauce, with little bursts of salty bacon and savory sausage in every bite. The sauce clings to the beans like velvet, and the slow-baking has concentrated the flavors into pure Southern comfort.
This is the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out and makes you rethink ever buying canned baked beans again.
Tips for Next-Level Flavor
- Use applewood-smoked bacon for deeper smokiness.
- Add a splash of bourbon before baking for a Southern twist.
- For a little heat, stir in a diced jalapeño or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
Why You’ll Keep Making These
Georgia’s Loaded Baked Beans aren’t just a recipe — they’re a tradition. Once you’ve made them, you’ll be that person at every cookout — the one everyone hopes is bringing “those baked beans.”
Sweet, smoky, and loaded with flavor, this dish will always have a place on your table — and in your heart.