Epic Ace Kickstart Baked Beans
★ Issue CMSC·25–020 · Published 29 Jun 2025
AmericanSide

Epic Ace Kickstart Baked Beans.

Slow-cooked navy beans with bacon, roasted chiles, and tomato—the real deal that demands time and heat

PREP 25 min
COOK 210 min
TOTAL 12:0h h
SERVES 10 people
HEAT mild
BLEND RATING 5.0 33 reviews · Ace Kickstart®
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You'll need
Large potOvenChef knifeCutting boardLarge bowlColander

Slow-cooked navy beans with bacon, roasted chiles, and tomato—the real deal that demands time and heat

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • FOR THE BEANS:
  • 1 pound dried navy beans, soaked overnight
  • 6 strips thick-cut bacon, cut into thin lardons
  • 1 Tablespoon Morrell lard
  • 2 medium red onions, diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 Anaheim/Hatch green chiles, stemmed, seeded, diced
  • 1 cup roasted tomato puree
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1-1/2 Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Beef
  • 1 Tablespoon Ace Kickstart®
  • 3 cups water

Method

  1. 01

    Soak beans overnight in water

    8h m

    Needs at least 4 inches of water coverage.

  2. 02

    Drain beans and dice all vegetables

    15 min

    Onions, garlic, bell pepper, chiles all need dicing.

  3. 03

    Preheat oven to 300°F

    15 min

    Low and slow is the whole game here—300°F gives you gentle, even heat that coaxes the beans tender without blowing out their skins or scorching the bottom of the pot.

  4. 04

    Crisp bacon in lard until very crispy

    8 min

    Use large thick-bottomed pot with lid.

  5. 05

    Sauté vegetables until soft and onions colored

    10 min

    Onions should deglaze the pot bottom.

  6. 06

    Add beans and all remaining ingredients, mix well

    5 min

    Turn off heat before adding.

  7. 07

    Bake covered at 300°F for first hour

    1h m

    Leave tiny gap in lid for steam.

  8. 08

    Stir and bake second hour, check water

    1h m

    Add water if needed.

  9. 09

    Stir and bake third hour, check water

    1h m

    Add water if needed.

  10. 10

    Stir and bake final 30 min until tender

    30 min

    Beans should hold shape but be tender.

From Mike's Notebook

01

That tiny gap in the lid matters—it lets steam escape so beans thicken instead of turning to soup.

02

Beans need stirring every hour, not because it helps them cook, but so nothing sticks to the pot bottom.

03

If your beans aren't tender after four hours, the oven runs cool—add another 30 minutes rather than cranking heat.

Nutrition

325 Calories / serving
13 gProtein
7 gTotal Fat
2 gSat. Fat
50 gCarbs
7 gFiber
16 gSugars
340 mgSodium

Estimated · 1 serving · calculated from the ingredient list, not lab-tested.

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