Instant Pot Smoky Sweet Baked Beans

Step 1

Soak beans in a bowl with 7 cups of water overnight. Then drain and rinse them. Set aside (You can also make this recipe from Quick Soaked beans. See Note. Sort, rinse, & set aside).

Step 2

Turn the pot on to the Sauté function. Add the bacon. Cook until mostly done.

Step 3

Add onions to the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion starts turning translucent.

Step 4

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant, stirring frequently.

Step 5

Add salt, pepper, water, syrup, ketchup, molasses, BBQ sauce, mustard, vinegar, liquid smoke, and stir well. Bring to a simmer and scrape the bottom of the pot to get up any browned bits (deglaze).

Step 6

Add beans and brown sugar. Stir, and place the lid on the pot and lock in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.

Step 7

Cancel the Sauté function.

Step 8

Set to Pressure Cook (Manual) and use the + or - button (or dial) to select 40 minutes.

Step 9

Let the pot naturally release the pressure for 15 minutes after cooking cycle ends. Then manually release the remaining pressure.

Step 10

When the pin in the lid drops down, open the lid and give the beans a stir. Sample a few of the beans to check for tenderness. If they are too firm, place the lid back on and set the time for them to cook another 10 minutes, and a 15 minute natural release.

Step 11

When they are done cooking, if they are too soupy for your taste, turn on the Sauté function and stir them frequently as they cook down. Then turn off the pot. They thicken a little more as they cool.

Step 12

You can set the pot to the Keep Warm setting if you aren't serving them right away. Put a lid on them (don't set to Sealing if using the IP lid).