Chef John's Boston Baked Beans

Bacon, navy beans, molasses, brown sugar, and mustard are the key ingredients in this simple, inexpensive side dish.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 30 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 411 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups water
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1 pound dry navy beans
• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 0.33333334326744 cup molasses
• 0.25 cup packed dark brown sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Step 2

Place navy beans in a large bowl and cover with several inches cool water; let soak overnight.

Step 3

Drain beans; place in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with 6 cups water, baking soda, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain; save bean-cooking liquid.

Step 4

Place beans in a clean Dutch oven; add bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper. Pour in enough hot reserved bean-cooking liquid to cover beans; stir.

Step 5

Cover Dutch oven; bake in the preheated oven 1 hour. Check liquid level; add more reserved bean-cooking liquid to cover beans. Return to oven; continue baking until beans tender and almost all liquid absorbed, about 1 hour.

Step 6

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover beans; continue baking until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 minutes more.