The Affordable Canned Staple That Gives Baked Beans A Spicy Kick

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What if — hear us out — the humble canned jalapeño pepper was the key to the best baked beans all along? We previously covered adding green chilis to canned beans for a delicious, spicy upgrade in general, and we stand by that assertion. But jalapeños in particular add something very special to the mix. With their moderate degree of enjoyable heat and vegetal, bright flavor, these peppers really belong in your canned baked beans, which are primarily sweet with some umami edge if they contain pork and onion. The "swicy" trend is going strong, and many foodies go gaga over the combination of sugary sweetness kissed with a pleasant kick of heat. Being slightly bolder than other chilis, jalapeño just may be the way to go. Plus, when it's canned, it's right there in your pantry alongside said beans.

Jalapeños aren't the hottest peppers in the world, but they pack a not-insignificant punch of heat. These peppers range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville units of spiciness, which is mild on one end and moderately feisty on the other. The wide variance of heat in jalapeños has to do with growing conditions and their age. Left on the vine and allowed to change from green to red, they become hotter. It's also been noted that more veiny peppers with visible white creases on the outside have a heavier kick than their smoother, more glossy brethren. You've seen jalapeños used to garnish black beans, refritos, and chili con carne, so why not baked beans? 

Canned jalapeños come in mild, hot, candied, sweet, and nacho varieties, just to name a few ... how will you choose? Think of relative heat and flavor profile. A standard product like Ortega Hot Sliced Pickled Jalapeños will give you that burn that you love in chilis and a bright kiss of vinegar as well. Note that pickled jalapeños are a key ingredient in Mexican escabeche, a condiment combining red onion, carrot, and the aforesaid peppers in brine. Would we go so far as to suggest you stir escabeche into your canned beans for a boatload of pickle-y goodness and crunch? You bet your buttons we would! Chipotle peppers, another bean-ready superstar, are made from dried, smoked jalapeños and offer a different edge to your baked bean dish.

If you want the heat of jalapeños in your beans but don't particularly desire the actual texture of the peppers, there are other ways to go about including this flavor with other pantry staples. Sriracha sauce is, notably, made from red jalapeños and can be incorporated quite easily. Another thought: mustard is a frequent flyer in baked bean recipes, so how about Koops Jalapeño Mustard for a twofer? We especially like the savor that mustard adds when we're slicing kielbasa into canned beans for a meaty, nostalgic addition that puts us in mind of old-school beanie weenies. The combination of smoked sausage and spicy peppers is one for the ages. The meatier your beans are, whether by incorporating bacon, beef, or fatty pork, the more we think that canned jalapeños can boost the bowl, cutting through the richness and unctuous heft of the dish with some needed spice.