Boston Baked Beans
In short: Navy beans baked slowly with salt pork, molasses and mustard until dark, sticky and sweet-savory, a New England Saturday supper classic. It takes about 5 h 35 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 5 h 15 min
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 5 h 35 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 330 kcal
Baked beans are a New England tradition, long eaten on Saturday nights with brown bread, and they are still a barbecue and picnic staple. Dried navy beans are cooked low and slow in a covered pot with salt pork, onion, molasses and mustard, until the sauce turns thick and glossy and the beans are tender but intact. The recipe needs time, not skill: soak the beans overnight and plan on about 5 hours.
Instructions
- Put the soaked beans in a large pot, cover with fresh water by 5 cm (2 in) and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the skins start to split. Drain, keeping 500 ml (2 cups) of the cooking liquid.
- Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Put the salt pork and onion in a heavy 4 L (4 qt) Dutch oven or bean pot.
- Stir the molasses, brown sugar, mustard powder, tomato paste, ginger, salt, pepper and vinegar into the reserved liquid. Add the beans to the pot, pour the mixture over them and tuck in the bay leaf.
- Top up with hot water until the beans are just covered. Cover the pot and bake for 3 1/2 hours, stirring once an hour and adding hot water if the beans look dry.
- Uncover and bake for 45 to 60 minutes more, until the sauce is thick and glossy and the beans are tender.
- Remove the bay leaf, rest the beans for 20 minutes and adjust the salt and vinegar before serving.
Tips
- If the beans still seem firm after 3 1/2 hours, they may be old. Keep baking, adding hot water as needed, and check every 30 minutes.
- For a slow-cooker version, parboil the beans as in step 1, then cook everything on low for 8 to 10 hours.
Questions and answers
Do I have to use salt pork in baked beans?
No. Thick-cut bacon or a smoked ham hock gives similar savory depth. For a vegetarian pot, leave it out and add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika and a tablespoon of oil.
Can I use canned beans for baked beans?
Yes. Use four 400 g (14 oz) cans of drained navy beans with the sauce ingredients and bake at 175°C (350°F) for about 1 hour.
How long do baked beans keep?
Refrigerate them for up to 5 days. They freeze well for 3 months, and the flavor improves after a day or two.
How long does it take to make Boston Baked Beans?
About 5 h 35 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 5 h 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Boston Baked Beans?
About 330 kcal per serving, with 12 g of protein, 46 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 330 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 46 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Fiber | 10 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 520 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
