Baked Beans

My Aunt Becky made the best baked beans. To the best of our knowledge, the recipe was not memorialized anywhere but through the years we tinkered and tried to recreate her culinary legacy now affectionately known as Becky Beans.

Architect's son graduated with youngest daughter and for his graduation party, Architect planned a "hot dog bar." What a great idea and totally manageable when cooking for a large group of people, especially hungry teenagers. I gave her some topping suggestions, like onions sautéed with ketchup…a delicacy available at any decent hot dog cart in Center City Philadelphia. I also offered to make Becky Beans. Becky Beans are merely doctored up canned baked beans that are absolutely delicious and are a great compliment to anything grilled…like hot dogs!

Becky Beans


Two cans of Baked Beans (I like Bush's)
One large or two small Vidalia onions sliced and caramelized.
½ cup of ketchup
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup brown sugar
1 lb. of bacon

Coat a pan with some olive oil and butter. When extremely hot, add the sliced onions and sauté until they are brown and caramelized. Resist the urge to stir too often as this will interrupt the caramelizing process. Set aside.

Cook the bacon until crispy and set aside (I was pressed for time, so I used the microwavable bacon). Put the beans in a pot and add the ketchup, maple syrup brown sugar, caramelized onions and crumbled bacon. Cook until the flavors are well incorporated, about 30 minutes.