Part 1: Building the Flavor Base

This initial prep work is what separates good baked beans from great ones. Don’t be tempted to skip these steps!

1. Crisp the Turkey Bacon: Place the chopped turkey bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, or until it is nicely browned and crispy. Unlike pork bacon, turkey bacon doesn’t render a lot of fat, so you don’t need to drain it. Use a slotted spoon to remove the crispy bacon from the skillet and set it aside on a plate. Leave any remaining drippings in the pan.

2. Sauté the Aromatics: Add the finely chopped onion to the same skillet. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and become translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. This process of cooking the onion and garlic mellows their sharp bite and brings out their natural sweetness, forming the savory foundation of your sauce.

Part 2: Assembling in the Slow Cooker

This is where the magic of “set it and forget it” begins.

1. Prepare the Beans: Open your cans of beans and pour them into a colander. Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water until the water runs clear. Give them a good shake to drain as much water as possible.

2. Mix the Sauce: In the basin of your slow cooker (a 4 to 6-quart model is ideal), whisk together all the sauce ingredients: the ketchup, packed brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper, and the ¼ cup of water or chicken broth. Whisking them together directly in the pot ensures everything is well combined before you add the other components.

3. Combine Everything: To the sauce in the slow cooker, add the rinsed and drained beans, the sautéed onion and garlic mixture, and about two-thirds of the crispy turkey bacon. Stir everything together gently until all the beans are evenly coated in the sauce.

4. Top and Cook: Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the crispy turkey bacon over the top of the beans. This will allow the pieces on top to stay a bit crispier.

5. Set the Cook Time: Secure the lid on your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The LOW setting is highly recommended, as the longer, slower cooking time results in a deeper, more melded flavor and a creamier texture.