Recipe · Beans
Boston Baked Beans
Ingredients
- 2 lb (about 4 cups) dried navy or pea beans
- 3/4 lb salt pork, in one piece with rind
- 1 tbsp salt (use less if the pork is lean and salty)
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp dry mustard (optional)
- Boiling water
Directions
- Rinse and sort the beans, cover with cold water, and soak overnight.
- Drain, cover with fresh water, and heat gently without boiling until the skins split when you blow on a few beans in a spoon. Drain.
- Pour boiling water over the pork rind and scrape it clean. Cut off a 1/4-inch slice and lay it in the bottom of a bean pot or Dutch oven.
- Score the rind of the remaining pork every 1/2 inch, about 1 inch deep.
- Add the beans to the pot and push the pork down into them so only the rind shows.
- Stir the salt, molasses, sugar and mustard into 1 cup boiling water, pour it over the beans, then add more boiling water to just cover them.
- Cover and bake at 275°F for 6 to 8 hours, topping up with water as needed. Uncover for the last hour so the rind browns and crisps.
Yellow-eyed beans work well too.
Slow cooker option
After par-boiling the beans, layer the pork and beans in a slow cooker. Pour over the seasonings dissolved in 1 cup boiling water, and add water just to cover. Cook on low 8 to 10 hours, adding a little hot water if they look dry and leaving the lid off for the last 30 to 60 minutes to thicken. This is safer than leaving the oven on overnight or unattended.