How to Make Smoked Baked Beans on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

Learn how to make smoked baked beans on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill!

We take you step-by-step through the ingredients and cookware you’ll need, setting up your Pit Boss pellet grill, and smoking the baked beans to perfection!

No side dish goes with classic barbecue quite like baked beans.

Maybe potato salad or macaroni and cheese, but if you want to throw a great barbecue, you’ve got to also have baked beans.

But there is no reason to run back and forth from the meat on the Pit Boss to the oven inside to tend to the baked beans, because you can make smoked baked beans right on your Pit Boss pellet grill!

You can smoke them right alongside your Pit Boss smoked beef brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, or chicken!

Even if you’ve never made traditional baked beans, we’ve got you covered with step by step instructions and a list of exactly what you’ll need to make great smoked baked beans on your Pit Boss.

 

What you Need to Make Smoked Baked Beans on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

A Cast Iron Skillet

In order to make really great smoked baked beans on your Pit Boss pellet grill, you will preferably need a 12 inch cast iron skillet to smoke them in.

When it comes to using cast iron, like we do for our smoked pot roast, we like anything from Lodge, such as this Lodge 12 inch skillet for smoked baked beans.

A great cast iron skillet can be used for a lot of fun recipes on your Pit Boss. You may recognize the Lodge skillet from our smoked mac and cheese as well as our smoked chicken enchiladas.

It’s already pre-seasoned and has the nice high sides to keep all those bubbly smoked baked beans contained.

The best part is you can bring it right from the Pit Boss to the table and serve directly from the cast iron skillet for a great rustic presentation!

 

Smoked Baked Beans Ingredients

Now let’s talk about what ingredients you’ll need to make the Pit Boss smoked baked beans.

You can choose from a variety of kinds of beans to use, but we would recommend the simple and classic Canned Pork and Beans you’ll find near the canned beans and canned soups in almost any grocery store.

We found the canned pork and beans gave a very classic flavor and texture for the Pit Boss smoked baked beans.

If you are avoiding meat, use a soft bean like canned pinto beans rather than a grittier textured bean like black beans.  Make sure to drain the water from those types of canned beans first.

If you don;t use pork and beans, you need to double the sauce ingredients (ketchup, worcestershire, and mustard) since the pork and beans already come in a tomato flavored sauce that we are adding to in our recipe.

• 1/2 lb Bacon (8 slices regular cut, 5-6 slices thick cut)
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 2-28 oz cans Pork and Beans (do not drain)
• 1/4 Cup Ketchup or Chili Sauce
• 3/4 Cup packed Brown Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Yellow Mustard

As with all things BBQ, you can make adjustments based on your own preferences.

Our version is fairly sweet so cut down the brown sugar to a 1/4 or 1/2 a cup if you want more savory smoked baked beans.

You can always add more sugar later as they cook if you want them sweeter!

 

The Best Wood Pellets for Smoking Baked Beans on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

Smoked Baked Beans will absorb a fair amount of smoke flavor on the Pit Boss since they are a wet side dish.

They also have a fairly strong flavor profile on so they will hold up well to stronger smoke flavors like hickory unlike a delicate fish fillet or even chicken breasts.

If you are smoking your baked beans on the Pit Boss alongside some ribs or a beef roast, you will be fine with whatever type of wood pellet let you chose for the meat.

If, however, you are smoking the baked beans by themselves, we would recommend either hickory pellet or a good gourmet blend like our go-to favorite from Bear Mountain.

For the best results, store your unused pellets in a sealed room temperature container like this 20 lb pellet container rather than in the Pit Boss hopper outside.

Pellets do not last forever, but will definitely last a LOT longer if stored indoors in a quality airtight container.

 

How a Pit Boss Pellet Grill Works

We have previously covered how to season a Pit Boss, how to start a Pit Boss, as well as how to troubleshoot the smoke level of your pellet grill.

So if you need a more in-depth review on how to use your Pit Boss for the first time, check those articles out first!

If you already know your Pit Boss inside and out, feel free to skip this stuff.

But if not, below is a brief overview of how a Pit Boss pellet grill works and how to start it up properly to prepare to smoke your food.

In order to cook ANYTHING well on a Pit Boss pellet grill, you need to first have a basic understanding of how a pellet grill works.

***Completely New to Using a Pellet Grill?  No Worries!****

Hop over and check out this Complete Guide to Understanding How a Pellet Grill Works  if you are interested in learning more in depth.  We’ll be here when you get back!***

 

Add your Hardwood Pellets

First, you add hardwood pellets into the side hopper.

The Pit Boss pellet grill automatically feeds these small wood pellets via an auger mechanism to a fire pot where they are burned up, providing both heat and smokey flavor.

The pellet grill automatically controls the flow of pellets depending on your temperature setting so that you maintain an even temperature throughout the entire cook.

 

How to Start up the Pit Boss Pellet Grill

1. Fill your hopper with pellets as described above.
2. Make sure the fire pot is cleaned out from the last cook and not full of ashes. You can remove it from the bottom and dump or vacuum it out and then put back and clip into place.
3. Plug in and start up the pellet grill, keeping the lid open.  Set the temperature dial to “Smoke” and press the “Power” button.
4. If there are no pellets in the auger or firepot yet, only in the hopper, you need to now hold the “Prime” button until you hear pellets begin to drop into the firepot.
5. The “Prime” feature on a Pit Boss pellet grill speeds up the auger so that pellets fill it quickly and get to your fire pot before the pellet grill “times out” from a lack of pellets coming into the fire pot.
6. Once pellets are in the firepot, stop holding the “Prime” button and wait about 5-7 minutes with the lid open for a torchy burner lighting sound. This means the fire rod has come up to temperature and has ignited the pellets.  At this point, a more significant amount of smoke will begin coming out of the pellet grill.  This means the pellets are ignited and the pellet grill is working.  Now you can close the lid.
7. Close the lid and change the temperature setting to 350°F.  Pit Boss recommends always preheating to this temperature FIRST, even if you are eventually going to cook at different temperature.
8. This will take about 10-15 minutes to preheat the grill.
9. Using a good bristle free grill brush, clean off the grill grates.
10. Now adjust the temperature to where you need it to cook your food.

Why Bristle Free Grill Brushes? 

Check out our Ultimate Guide to How to Keep your Family Safe by using ONLY Bristle Free Grill Brushes, along with a selection of some of our favorites!

 

How to Make Smoked Baked Beans on a Pit Boss Pellet Grill

Set the Pit Boss Temperature

The best temperature to smoke your baked beans on the Pit Boss is going to be 240°F.

Now, if you are cooking something else like pork butt or beef brisket “Low and Slow” and need to keep the temperature closer to 220°F, don’t stress, it’s fine, you can smoke the baked beans here too.

We just wouldn’t recommend smoking the baked beans any higher than about 275°F on the Pit Boss as you will risk burning the sugars in the sauce on the bottom of the cast iron skillet.

The smoked baked beans will take about 3 hours so plan accordingly to time them to finish at the same time your meat is finished resting.

Thankfully, in the cast iron pan the smoked baked beans will stay nice and hot for a long while even once you’ve taken them off the Pit Boss so you don’t have to be perfect!

 

Cook the Bacon and Onions

First cook your bacon over medium heat in the same cast iron skillet in which you will be smoking the baked beans.

Once the bacon is cooked, remove it from the skillet to a plate with paper towels to drain and lower heat to medium-low.

Next add your diced onion to the bacon fat still in the pan. Stir frequently and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.

Once the onions are cooked, push them to one side of the skillet and drain off the excess grease in the skillet from the other side.

 

Make the Sauce and Add Beans

Next you will add the ketchup (or chili sauce), brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard to the onions in the skillet.

Stir well until combined.

Crumble up the bacon you set aside and sprinkle and stir into the sauce.

Next add the canned pork and beans and stir well to incorporate everything together.

Turn off the heat and carefully take the hot skillet out to the preheated Pit Boss pellet grill.

Make sure to always use well insulated grilling gloves when handling hot cast iron.  We like these ones from Vi Boos that protect up well over 1000°F.

 

Smoke the Baked Beans in the Pit Boss

Now it’s time to smoke your baked beans in the Pit Boss!

Carefully carry your cast iron skillet out to the Pit Boss pellet grill set to 240°F and put them in the smoker uncovered.

Stir every 30 minutes or so and rotate the cast iron skillet as needed depending on how evenly your Pit Boss throws off heat.

We liked putting ours toward the right side of our Pit Boss that tends to get a little less upward heat from the flame broiler directly underneath .

Let the smoked baked beans cook for about 3 hours and don’t stir for the last 30 minutes so that the top gets nice and brown.

You can also sprinkle some additional brown sugar on top during the last 15 minutes for more color and sweetness.

 

Best Ways to Serve Pit Boss Smoked Baked Beans

The best part about smoking your Pit Boss baked beans in a cast iron pan is that you can bring the pan right to the table to serve out of when they are finished!

Smoked baked beans go great with brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken, salmon, even lobster, or any other dish you can think of!

If you want even more side dishes, make sure to also check out our smoked broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower if you are eating healthy, or you can indulge in our famous sweet and smokey sweet potatoes to accompany your meal as well!

 

What Else Can I Smoke on my Pit Boss?

So glad you asked!

Check out some of our other favorite recipes below that can all be easily modified for a Pit Boss if not done so already.

You’ve come to right place!

Pork

• Pit Boss Pulled Pork
• Pit Boss Smoked Baby Back Ribs
• Pit Boss Smoked Pork Loin
• Pit Boss 3-2-1 Ribs
• Pellet Grill Smoked Pork Chops
• Pellet Grilled Bratwurst
• Gas Grilled Bratwurst
• Smoked Fresh Holiday Ham
• Spiral Sliced Smoked Hot Dogs
• Smoked Bratwurst with Beer Braised Onions
• Roasted Pig in Your Backyard

 

Beef

• Pit Boss Beef Brisket
• Pit Boss Smoked Beef Tenderloin
• Pit Boss Smoked Prime Rib
• Pit Boss Smoked Chuck Roast
• Pit Boss Smoked Beef Ribs
• Pit Boss Smoked Tri-Tip Roast
• Perfect Smoked London Broil
• Smoked Ribeye Roast
• Smoked Corned Beef
• Smoked Ribeye Steaks
• Smoked Filet Mignon
• Hot and Fast Pellet Grill Beef Brisket
• Pellet Grilled Steak
• Smoked Eye of Round Roast Beef
• Easy Smoked Flank Steak
• Smoked Tomahawk Steaks
• Smoked Bottom Round Roast
• Smoked Sirloin Tip Roast
• Smoked Rump Roast

 

Seafood

• Pit Boss Smoked Salmon
• Honey Smoked Salmon
• Smoked Oysters in a Garlic White Wine Sauce
• Smoked Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
• Smoked Lobster Tails
• Easy Smoked Tilapia
• Perfect Smoked Halibut
• Smoked Mahi Mahi Fillets
• Smoked Swordfish Steaks
• Smoked Crab Legs with Cajun Clarified Butter
• Smoked Mackerel with Maple Balsamic Glaze
• Smoked Catfish with Cajun BBQ Rub
• Smoked Red Snapper with Blackening Rub
• Smoked Trout
• Smoked Tuna Steaks

 

Poultry

• Pit Boss Smoked Whole Chicken
• Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Thighs
• Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Breasts
• Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Legs
• Pit Boss Smoked Chicken Wings
• Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
• Beer Can Chicken on a Pellet Grill
• Spatchcocked Chicken on a Pellet Grill
• Pellet Grill Smoked Turkey Breast
• Pellet Grill Turkey
• Easy Smoked Turkey Legs
• Spatchcock Smoked Turkey on a Pellet Grill
• Trash Can Turkey – OK, technically not made on a grill or smoker but one of the most fun ways there is to cook a Turkey…at over 700 degrees in only 2 hours! 

 

Lamb

• Smoked Leg of Lamb with Guinness Marinade
• Smoked Lamb Chops with a Balsamic Butter Sauce
• Smoked Rack of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary or Smoker
• Smoked and Pulled Lamb Shoulder with a Turkish Spice Rub
• Smoked Lamb Shanks

 

Sides and Desserts

• Smoked Gouda Cheese
• Smoked Asparagus
• Easy Smoked Broccoli
• Smoked Cauliflower
• Sticky Smoked Sweet Potatoes
• How to Steam Tamales
• Smoked Pineapple in a Maple Bourbon Sauce
• Smoked Carrots with a Honey Balsamic Glaze
• Pit Boss Smoked Mac and Cheese
• Smoked Hard Boiled Eggs
• Smoked Deviled Eggs
• Smoked Cream Cheese
• Smoked Cream Cheese Dip with Bacon and Cheddar
• Smoked Pig Shots
• Smoked Jalapeno Poppers
• Smoked Garlic
• Frozen Pizza on a Pellet Grill