New England Baked Beans

Homemade Baked Beans Recipe by  Sam McComiskey

There are innumerable baked bean recipes, some with molasses, salt pork, and navy beans, others with maple syrup and kidney or black or a dozen other types of bean. Baked beans were among the earliest commercially canned products, when H. J. Heinz of Pittsburgh introduced a tomato-based version in 1901. Intriguingly, that recipe has since become an integral part of the British diet, where millions enjoy their beans-on-toast daily, and despite the fact that Heinz produces a billion “tins” a year in Europe’s largest food processing facility (one of the largest factories in the world), in the U. S. that original baked bean formula can now only be found as a specialty import item. So when you’re in New England, here’s the bean recipe you want, as served at countless church fairs and Woodman family cookouts.

Baked Beans Ingredients

1 pound Great Northern White or Navy beans (or a combination of both!)

1 medium onion

¼ pound salt pork, scored

2 tablespoons molasses (give or take a little)

1 tablespoon dry mustard

½ box (8 ounces) dark brown sugar (give or take a little)

Directions on how to make New England styled Baked Beans

In a large pan, sort and clean beans, cover with water and soak overnight. Slowly parboil in the water you soaked them in for about ½ hour until it looks like the skins are going to break.

Preheat the oven to 350˚F. In the bottom of a small bean pot, place onions and salt pork (rind side down). With a slotted spoon, scoop the parboiled beans into a pot, reserving the cooking water. Add the molasses, dry mustard, and dark brown sugar. Pour in enough of the reserved cooking water to cover the beans. Cover the bean pot and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 250˚F and bake for 6 hours. After about 3 or 4 hours, stir and check to be sure beans are not drying out. If so, add water as needed. Serves 6.

If you enjoyed your New England Style Baked Beans make sure you check out our new cookbook with additional delicious recipes!