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Thick and saucy, these Boston Baked Beans are made with dry navy beans and thick-cut bacon and slowly cooked in a sweet molasses-based sauce. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts!
These sweet, slow-cooked Boston baked beans are everyone’s favorite barbecue side dish. Oven-baked in a combination of sweet molasses and salty pork, they’re completely irresistible — a must-have side for hamburgers, hot dogs, and bbq ribs.
What are Boston Baked Beans
Boston baked beans are a traditional dish with deep roots connected to the city of Boston. The key ingredient? Molasses.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Boston was a key player in what was known as the triangle trade. In this trade, goods from Boston (rum, for example) were sent to Africa to purchase slaves. These slaves were then sent to the Caribbean, where sugar was produced. This sugar was sent back to Boston, thus completing the circle. Once in Boston, the sugar was then used to make molasses and rum.
As a result, Molasses became an abundant ingredient in Boston and the key to traditional Boston baked beans.
How to Make Boston Baked Beans
1. Soak the beans overnight: Try to remember to soak the beans in a bowl of salted water overnight. If you forget to do this, that’s ok. Cooking time just may be slightly longer.
2. Simmer the beans until tender: Drain the soaked beans. Add the beans, garlic, celery, bay leaves, carrot, and half of the white onion (left whole), to a large pot. Fill the pot with water, covering the beans by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with an offset lid and simmer for approximately an hour or until the beans are tender, not mushy. Check periodically and skim off any foam that forms on the surface of the cooking liquid.
3. Remove from heat and carefully remove the spices and whole ingredients from the beans.
4. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
5. Cook the onion and bacon: Heat a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the remaining onion with the bacon until the bacon is nearly cooked. Then add the brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt, and black pepper.
6. Add the beans and cooking liquid: Carefully pour the cooking liquid with the beans into the bacon and molasses mixture. Mix well.
7. Bake the beans: Cover the pot with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Check the beans occasionally and stir gently, ensuring they don’t dry out. If needed, add a bit of water or broth. Bake the beans for 2 ½-3 hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened significantly.
What to Serve with Boston Baked Beans
These homemade baked beans are the perfect side to any summer cookout. Serve them with your favorite hamburgers, turkey burgers, pulled pork, pork ribs, grilled chicken skewers, sausages, or grilled steak.
Enjoy them with all the best summer salads, too! From creamy potato salad and macaroni salad to cobb salad and fruit salad, there’s no shortage of yummy salads to choose from.
For a traditional New England side dish, try serving these cooked beans with brown bread – a type of brown-colored whole wheat bread sometimes made with ingredients such as molasses or coffee.
Finally, let’s not forget about sweet cornbread and creamy coleslaw – two of my personal favorites.
Storage and Reheating
- Storage: Transfer leftover Boston baked beans to an airtight container and place them in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
- Freezing: For best results, portion the beans into smaller, meal-sized portions to make thawing and reheating easier. Transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag or air-tight container. Transfer to the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: From frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Once thawed, you may reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally. If they seem dry, you may need to add a splash of water or broth to the beans.
More Bean Recipes
- Easy Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- Easy Pinto Beans
- Cassoulet Recipe
- Cannellini Beans Recipe
- Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Beans)
If you try making this Boston Baked Beans Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
Boston Baked Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound navy beans, or great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 carrot, peeled
- 1 large white onion, divided, half left whole and the other diced
- 1 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the dried beans to a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak overnight.
- Drain the beans and add them to a large pot with the garlic, celery, bay leaves, carrot, and half of the white onion (left whole). Fill the pot with water, covering the beans by about 2 inches.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover with an offset lid. Simmer for approximately one hour or until the beans are tender, not mushy. As the beans simmer, check periodically and skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
- Once tender, remove the spices and whole ingredients from the beans.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté the second half of the onion (diced) and the bacon until the bacon is partially cooked and the onion is translucent then mix in the brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper until completely combined
- Carefully transfer the beans and cooking liquid to the oven-safe pot or Dutch oven containing the bacon and onions. Mix to combine.
- Cover the pot with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Check the beans occasionally and stir gently, making sure they don't dry out. If needed, add a bit of water or broth.
- Bake the beans for 2 ½-3 hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened significantly.
- Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
