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
• Total Time: 2 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 411 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ⅓ cup molasses
• ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 pinch baking soda
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups water
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1 pound dry navy beans
• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

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

Step 2

Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with enough water by several inches. Drain and place beans into 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, saving bean-cooking liquid.

Step 3

Transfer beans into clean Dutch oven and stir bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into beans. Pour enough of the hot reserved bean liquid in to cover beans; stir.

Step 4

Cover Dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check liquid level and add more of the reserved bean liquid to bring liquid up to cover beans. Return to oven and continue baking until beans are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Raise oven heat to 350; bake beans uncovered in oven until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 more minutes.