Boston Baked Beans are the perfect side dish for grilling season. Boston baked beans require several hours of cooking time, so be sure to plan ahead!  For a quicker homemade baked beans recipe, check out our Easy Baked Beans, which can be cooked in under an hour.

You might also be interested in our How to use Leftover Baked Beans recipe.

Boston Baked Beans

3 cups dried navy beans
¼ lb. salt pork
2 tsp dry mustard
⅓ cup molasses
4 thin yellow onion slices
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 ½ tsps salt
½ tsp ground pepper
water

1. Soak the dried navy beans overnight.  Drain the soaking water.
2. In a large pot, add enough fresh water to the pre-soaked navy beans so that the water level is a few inches above the beans.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, until almost tender, about 35-40 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.
3. Preheat an over to 300F.  In a small saucepan, add enough fresh water to cook the salt pork and bring to a boil.
4. Cut a crisscross pattern ¼-inch deep into the top of the salt pork.  Add the salt pork to the saucepan of boiling water and boil for 1 minute, then drain.
5. Put the navy beans in a 2-qt. baking dish, and place the salt pork and onion slices on top.
6. In a saucepan, combine the molasses, brown sugar, salt, pepper, dry mustard, and 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid.  Heat and constantly sure until the sugar has dissolved.  Pour the sauce evenly over the navy beans, and add just enough bean cooking liquid to cover the beans.
7. Cover the dish and bake for 4 hours.  Remove the cover, scoop up the pork so that it rests on top of the beans.  Then continue to bake, uncovered, until the navy beans are cooked through and caramel-covered, and the salt pork is golden, 1 ½ – 2 hours longer.

Yield: 6-8

This recipe was adapted from Beans & Rice (Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library)

Find more bean recipes here: The Complete List of Bean Recipes by BeansBeansBeans