Slow-Simmered Kidney Beans

  Side Dishes

My husband always puts us down for a side dish when we're invited to a potluck. Canned beans cut down on prep time, yet you get plenty of zip from bacon, apple, red pepper and onion. I like simmering this mixture in the slow cooker because it blends the flavors and I don't have to stand over the stove.

Slow-Simmered Kidney Beans

Average Rating: 4.6

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 15 min. Cook: 6 hours
YIELD: 16 servings (3/4 cup each).

Ingredients

  • 6 bacon strips, diced
  • 1/2 pound smoked Polish sausage or kielbasa, sliced
  • 4 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
  • 2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 cup ketchup
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 2 medium unpeeled red apples, cubed

Instructions

  • 1. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels. Add sausage to drippings; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • 2. In a 6-qt. slow cooker, combine the beans, tomatoes, red peppers, onion, ketchup, brown sugar, honey, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, salt and mustard. Stir in the bacon and sausage. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Stir in apples. Cover and cook 2 hours longer or until bubbly.

Nutrition Facts

3/4 cup: 216 calories, 9g fat (3g saturated fat), 15mg cholesterol, 664mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 3g fiber), 5g protein.

Tags