Name: Boston Baked Beans
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb (2 cups) dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed; 6 cups cold water, for soaking; 4 oz salt pork, rind removed, scored in 1/4-inch crosshatch; 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and studded with 2 whole cloves; 1 dried bay leaf; 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap); 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar; 2 tbsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 tsp dry mustard powder; About 4 cups boiling water, as needed during baking

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A staple of Saturday night suppers in New England for over two centuries, Boston Baked Beans are dried navy beans slow-baked for hours in a glazed earthenware pot with molasses, brown sugar, mustard, and a slab of salt pork. The long, gentle bake coaxes out a deep, savory-sweet flavor and a thick, glossy sauce with a slightly crusty top.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time360 mins

Total Time375 mins

Servings6

Yield6 servings

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

410 kcalCalories
14 gFat
4.5 gSaturated Fat
56 gCarbs
12 gFiber
22 gSugar
15 gProtein
680 mgSodium
820 mgPotassium
130 mgCalcium
4.5 mgIron
3 mgVitamin C
12 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the beans

1 lb (2 cups) dried navy beans, picked over and rinsed
6 cups cold water, for soaking
4 oz salt pork, rind removed, scored in 1/4-inch crosshatch
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and studded with 2 whole cloves
1 dried bay leaf

For the sauce

1/3 cup unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard powder

To finish

About 4 cups boiling water, as needed during baking

Directions

Place the rinsed beans in a large bowl, cover with cold water by 2 inches, and soak overnight (8 to 12 hours). Drain and discard the soaking liquid.
Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Transfer the drained beans to a 2-quart bean pot or Dutch oven. Tuck the scored salt pork into the center of the beans so it is mostly submerged.
In a small bowl, whisk together the molasses, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and dry mustard until smooth. Pour evenly over the beans.
Add the clove-studded onion and bay leaf, then pour in enough boiling water to cover the beans by about 1 inch (roughly 4 cups total). Stir gently to combine.
Cover the pot with its lid (or a tight layer of foil) and bake on the middle rack for 5 hours, checking once an hour and adding more boiling water in 1/2-cup increments if the beans begin to peek above the liquid.
Remove the lid and continue baking 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer, until the beans are tender, the sauce is thick and glossy, and a dark crust has formed on top. The total bake is about 6 hours.
Carefully fish out the onion halves and bay leaf. Let the beans rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes so the sauce sets up.
Spoon into warm bowls and serve with Boston brown bread, butter, and pickled accompaniments, or alongside hot dogs and coleslaw for a classic Saturday supper.

Cook’s Notes

For the creamiest texture and shortest bake time, always soak the beans overnight in cool water; a quick 1-hour boil-and-rest soak works in a pinch but yields slightly firmer beans.
Authentic Boston-style recipes use salt pork, but 4 oz of thick-cut slab bacon, rind trimmed, is a widely accepted substitute; pancetta is too lean and will not render enough fat.
If the sauce tightens too much during the long bake, loosen it with a few tablespoons of hot water rather than cold, which can toughen the bean skins.
These beans are even better the next day: cool to room temperature, refrigerate covered, and reheat gently with a splash of water before serving.
Save a cup of leftover beans and their sauce to stir into a pot of vegetable soup the following day for a deep, smoky backbone.