Recipe

Best Boston Baked Beans

Community Pick!

Recipe
1 Question

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by Sarah Shatz

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by Fairmount_market

sarah k.'s Testing Notes: The sauce is smoky, not overly sweet, and earthy and the fragrance is intoxicating. The beans are tender in texture, but cooked quicker than expected (2 1/2 hours -- they must have been super...
The sauce is smoky, not overly sweet, and earthy and the fragrance is intoxicating. The beans are tender in texture, but cooked quicker than expected (2 1/2 hours -- they must have been super fresh!). I love the smooth onions and tangy sauce (I used homemade ketchup, so much more flavorful than bottled). This was wonderful as a side dish, but would need more ham or bacon for a main dish -- I’d eat it for breakfast. I can see it as a vegetarian dish with bacon omitted, but more smoked paprika and garlic, and a little soy sauce. For the mustard, I used Dijon. Two thumbs up. - sarah k.

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Chef
Fairmount_market's Notes: As a native Bostonian living on the West Coast, I sometimes get homesick for baked beans. This is a recipe I made for an heirloom variety called Ireland Creek Annie beans, a lovely golden...
As a native Bostonian living on the West Coast, I sometimes get homesick for baked beans. This is a recipe I made for an heirloom variety called Ireland Creek Annie beans, a lovely golden legume that hold up well during cooking, but this dish would work well with a number of beans including small navy beans or anasazi. The key for creating a rich, syrupy dish is to bake the beans on low heat in the oven, and then raise the temperature and removing the lid for the last half hour so the liquid reduces and the beans develop some charred flavors. - Fairmount_market

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Serves 6-8

2 cups dried beans such as Ireland Creek Annie, if you can find them, or navy or anasazi beans Ask a question about this ingredient

4 strips bacon Ask a question about this ingredient

1 onion, diced Ask a question about this ingredient

4 cloves garlic, minced Ask a question about this ingredient

1 teaspoon ground cumin Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 teaspoon spicy smoked paprika Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon brown sugar Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup ketchup Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon mustard Ask a question about this ingredient

1 tablespoon molasses Ask a question about this ingredient

1/4 cup cider vinegar Ask a question about this ingredient

4 cups water, heated Ask a question about this ingredient

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Cut the bacon into small strips (most easily done with scissors) and saute in a Dutch oven until the strips are fairly crispy. Reserve the bacon and drain off all but about 2 Tbsp bacon fat. Add the chopped onion and saute until soft. Add the garlic, cumin, paprika, and brown sugar and saute for another couple of minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the ketchup, mustard, molasses, and vinegar. Pour this mixture into the pot. Rinse the mixing cup with some of the hot water and add this and the remaining water to the pot. Add the rinsed beans and bacon bits, mix and heat the contents of the pot to a simmer. Then cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
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Cook the beans in the oven for about 3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, until they are soft, but not falling apart. Add a little more water if they get too dry during the cooking process. Raise the heat to 400 degrees, remove the top, add salt if needed, and cook for another half hour until the sauce becomes thick and caramelized.
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8 Comments on Best Boston Baked Beans

BKordik added about 1 month ago

A batch is in the oven. Smells great...brings back memories of family get-togethers on the farm.

Digitalmikey added 4 months ago

Other than burning them slightly in my slow cooker. I agree these are fantastic. YUM

Fairmount_market added 2 months ago

I'm glad you liked them!

sarah k. added about 1 year ago

I made this recipe tonight, and have to say, as a baked bean lover, these are the best baked beans I've ever had. I admit that I added a ham bone, so there were large chunks of ham, but the recipe is really great. I grew up on baked beans out of a can, those super sweet ones with the floaty pieces of fat, and, though I loved them at the time, they're nothing to yours. These are adult baked beans. I almost hope my family doesn't really like them, so I will get to have all of them. They're delicious.

Fairmount_market added about 1 year ago

I'm so glad you liked them! They are a crowd pleaser with my family.

sarah k. added about 1 year ago

Curses! The family did like them. Even my husband, who thought he could never like baked beans.

luvcookbooks added about 1 year ago

thanks, saved this along with the "look ma no ketchup" baked bean recipe to try for a homemade baked bean trial