Old Fashioned Boston Baked Beans

A gray pot of savory sweet dark brown baked beans with a wooden spoon.

5 from 2 votes

Old Fashioned Boston Baked Beans

Start the night ahead by soaking beans or use the Quick Soak method in notes at the end. Don’t be overwhelmed by the length of this recipe. It’s harder to explain than do! For a shortcut with canned beans see the recipe notes at the end. Vegetarian or vegan – Omit the bacon and use olive oil or avocado oil to sauté the onion.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3

Dried bean soaking overnight8

Total Time11 20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: to 10

Calories: 487kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Equipment

Large heavy pot or large Dutch oven 5 ½ quarts with lid
Colander

Ingredients

Basic bean soaking

1 pound dried small white beans such as navy beans see notes below on bean options and canned bean shortcut
1 ½-2 quarts filtered water enough to cover the beans by 4 inches for soaking
1-2 tablespoons kosher salt for brining 1 tablespoon per quart of water

Bean pre-cooking (aromatics)

½ onion, yellow or brown cut in quarters
1 carrot peeled and cut in half crosswise
1 rib celery cut in half crosswise
2 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf
2 fresh thyme sprigs tied together sub sage leaves or rosemary

Baked beans

6 ounces thick cut bacon chopped crosswise into strips
1 ½ cups chopped onion, yellow or brown 1 large onion
2-3 garlic cloves finely chopped
⅓ cup light brown sugar or golden monk fruit blend
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons regular or smoked paprika optional
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup unsulphured mild molasses such as Brer Rabbit
1 ½ cups unsweetened ketchup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard sub 1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 bay leaf

Optional add-in's

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon ginger puree or finely grated fresh ginger

Instructions

Soak the Beans (Overnight)

Place the dry beans in a colander, rinse well under cold water, and remove any broken beans or debris. Transfer to a large bowl or container and cover with at least twice their volume of cold water. Stir in 1 tablespoon kosher salt per quart of water (brining), cover, and refrigerate 8–12 hours or overnight.
Drain and rinse the beans well before cooking. Discard the soaking water.
For a quick-soak method, see the Notes below.

Pre-cook the beans

Place the soaked beans in a large Dutch oven (5 ½ quarts) or other heavy pot and cover with several inches of fresh filtered water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, add the aromatics, and cook until the beans are just tender, about 1 hour.
Check the water level occasionally, add hot filtered water from a tea kettle as needed to keep the beans submerged. Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid (bean broth), and discard the aromatics.

Start the beans

Pre-heat the oven to 325°F degrees. Fry the chopped bacon in the same pot until crisp and browned. Remove bacon to paper towels reserving the bacon fat. Add 2 tablespoons bacon fat back to the pan and cook the onion until soft and lightly golden, 8-10 minutes, over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook another minute.
Add the brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika and stir until sugar is melted. Stir in the molasses, then the ketchup and mustard until smooth.
Gently fold in the beans until coated. Add the bay leaf and bacon. Top the pot with the lid.

Make the Sauce

Preheat the oven to 325°F. In the same Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the bacon fat. Add 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat to the pot and cook the onion over medium-low heat until soft and lightly golden, 8–10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Add the brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and paprika, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the molasses, ketchup, and mustard until smooth.
Fold in the cooked beans, bacon, and bay leaf until evenly coated. Cover with the lid.

Bake the beans

Bake for 2½–3 hours, checking about once an hour. If the beans begin to look dry, add a little reserved bean broth or hot water.
Begin checking for tenderness after 2½ hours. If needed, continue baking another 30 minutes. When done, reserve extra bean broth to help loosen the beans when reheating.

Serving and Storing

Serve baked beans hot or warm and re-heat well if you have leftovers, and will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Extra freezes well in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Re-heating beans

Reheat beans gently on the stovetop or in a 325°F oven, adding a little reserved bean broth or hot water as needed to restore their creamy consistency. Warm until the beans reach 165°F.
Timing depends on how cold they are from the refrigerator. Take them out of the refrigerator an hour ahead if possible to reduce re-heat time.

Notes

Dried beans that work: Navy beans, Great Northern beans, cranberry beans, pinto beans, or heirloom dried beans such as Ayocote Blanco, Alubia Blanca, or Yellow Eye beans.

To quick soak beans: Rinse dried beans in a colander and remove any broken beans or debris. Place beans in a large heavy pot and cover with fresh water by several inches. Bring to a boil and cook 1–2 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and let stand 1 hour. Drain and proceed with the recipe.

Canned beans shortcut: To save time, use four 15-ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed. Navy, Great Northern, or borlotti beans work well. Add them where the cooked beans go in the full recipe. Bake uncovered at 325°F for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of liquid if dry, or bake longer to thicken.

Yield Note: This recipe makes a generous batch, about 8–10 servings, using 1 pound dried beans. It’s perfect for parties, BBQs, or meal prep.

Freezer Tip: Freeze leftovers in individual portions for up to 3 months. They reheat well for quick sides.

Ginger option: Add 1 tablespoon jarred ginger puree or 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger with the onions and garlic, or stir it in near the end for a brighter ginger note.

Balsamic vinegar option: Stir in 1–2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar at the end for deeper flavor.

Nutrition