Bacon-Wrapped Franks and Beans

This Bacon-Wrapped Franks and Beans elevates the nostalgic childhood classic with the irresistible addition of crispy bacon-wrapped hot dogs. It’s still a budget-friendly, protein-packed, and easy-to-make retro dish that’s perfect for a simple family dinner, a backyard cookout, or gameday.

No matter what you call it—franks and beans, beanie weenies, or beans and weenies—this humble dish carries a strong sense of nostalgia and comfort. Once a staple of the working class, it gained popularity because of its affordability, simplicity, and the convenience of pantry-ready ingredients like canned beans and hot dogs. Protein-packed, hearty, and filling, the franks and beans dish had its heyday during the Great Depression; this comfort food was once a common feature on dinner tables and at potluck spreads.

Nowadays, it still has a place on our table to enjoy as a family-friendly meal or side dish. My version brings it up a level with whole hot dogs wrapped in bacon. The added smoky, salty, crispy, chewy bacon elevates the flavor and texture of the humble retro dish, which is a nice complement to the tender hot dogs and baked beans.

Ingredients needed:

• Canned beans—a small amount is used to help create steam during cooking.
• Hot dogs—choose your favorite. I favor the skinless Kayem Pork and Beef.
• Bacon—for the best coverage of the hot dog, choose ones that don’t have large areas of fat.
• Chopped onion—imparts a little sweetness and textural interest.
• Seasoning sauce—the combination of brown sugar, molasses, yellow mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper adds a greater depth of flavor to the beans. There is added sweetness, saltiness, tang, savory, and umami notes.

Recipe highlights:

• Combine the brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder. Blend well and set aside.
• Wrap a strip of bacon around each hot dog. Cook over medium heat to par-cook the bacon. Drain excess fat into a small bowl. Deglaze the skillet with a tiny splash of water and remove the black bits. (Don’t do what I did here and take a shortcut by not deglazing. You might end up with black bits in your beans.)
• Add enough bacon fat back to the skillet to lightly coat the bottom, then add onion and chopped bacon. Cook until the bacon is crispy.
• Add the beans and sauce, and cook until bubbly. Return the hot dogs to the skillet, most browned side down. Cover and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350° F oven, then 10 minutes uncovered.
• Detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

How to serve:

This delicious dish, with its savory, sweet, salty, and smoky flavors, pairs beautifully with a variety of other dishes. Whether it’s served as a main course or a side, it’s sure to give you that warm, satisfied feeling.

As a main dish, it’s delightful when paired with cornbread or biscuits to soak up the delicious, saucy goodness. In New England, we particularly enjoy it with some hearty brown bread. If you’re looking to add a bit of balance to this rich and hearty meal, consider serving it with a side of coleslaw, fresh salad, or crisp vegetables to brighten things up.

As a side dish to a spread, it beautifully complements the creamy textures of potato salads and macaroni salads, creating a wonderfully harmonious combination. Of course, it’s also a delightful accompaniment to pulled pork, brisket, ham, chicken, burgers, and sausages.

How to store and reheat:

This is so good, you’ll want leftovers to enjoy! Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply microwave until heated through or heat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently. Alternatively, place in a baking dish and bake in a preheated 350° F oven until thoroughly heated.

Recommended supplies:

(Affiliate links. The products I recommend are either what I use, are on my wish list, or are highly rated.)

• Oven-safe pan—this 10-inch 3.5-quart pan is all cooktop compatible with an oven-safe glass lid. It has a stainless steel base and a PFOA-free, USA and GRE TUV approved nonstick coating.
• Kitchen tongs
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil—use this as an alternative to an oven-safe lid. It’s extra wide, thick, and more durable than regular aluminum foil.

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Bacon-Wrapped Franks and Beans

Author: In Good Flavor Cooking Method:Oven Bake/Roasted Stovetop Cooked Cuisine:American Courses:Main

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 10 minutesCook time: 50 minutesTotal time:1 hour Servings:6 Servings

Description

This Bacon-Wrapped Franks and Beans elevates the nostalgic childhood classic with the irresistible addition of crispy bacon-wrapped hot dogs. It’s still a budget-friendly, protein-packed, and easy-to-make retro dish that’s perfect for a simple family dinner, a backyard cookout, or gameday.

Ingredients

• 44 ounces Bush’s Homestyle Baked Beans (1 28-oz and 1 16-oz can)
• 6 dogs, choose your quantity
• 6 bacon strips for wrapping hot dogs
• 2 extra strips of bacon, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 2 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Combine brown sugar, mustard, ketchup, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Blend well and set aside.
3. Wrap a bacon strip around each hot dog, then place them in a cold, oven-safe skillet. Cook over medium heat until the underside is crisp and brown, about 5-6 minutes. Turn the hot dogs to lightly brown the other sides, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
4. Drain the excess fat into a small bowl. Remove black bits from the skillet, adding a splash of water if needed to loosen them. Wipe off any excess water.
5. Add enough fat back to the pan to lightly coat the bottom (use oil to make up the difference if you don’t have enough), then add the chopped bacon and onion and sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat, or until the bacon is crispy. Add the beans and the sauce mixture. Cook for about 3 minutes or until hot and bubbly, stirring frequently. Add the hot dogs with the most cooked (browned) side down.
6. Cover with an oven-safe lid or tightly with aluminum foil, then transfer the skillet to the preheated 350° F oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then uncover and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes, or until the bacon is brown and crispy on top.
7. Makes 6 servings.

Keywords:Franks and Beans, Bacon Wrapped Franks and Beans, Retro Dish, Backyard Cookout, Tailgating, Potluck Spreads, Family-Friendly Meal, Side Dish, Family Dinner, Nostalgic Childhood Classic, Beanie Weenies, Beans and Weenies

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