This baked beans recipe starts with navy beans, molasses, and bacon. It is not homemade chili and not cornbread.
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Baked Beans
- Total Time: 12 hours
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Baked beans with molasses and bacon. From Your Daily Hit.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454g) dry navy beans, soaked overnight and simmered until just tender
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/3 cup (80ml) molasses
- 1/4 cup (50g) brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (480ml) bean cooking liquid or water
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Cook bacon and onion together until the onion is soft.
- Stir in molasses, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt, beans, and enough liquid to just cover the beans.
- Pour into a covered Dutch oven or bean pot. Bake 2 1/2 hours.
- Uncover for the last 30 minutes if you want a thicker top. The beans should be glossy, not dry.
Notes
Canned navy beans can skip the overnight soak. Drain two 15-ounce cans, cover them with the sauce, and bake about 90 minutes. Dry beans taste better if you have the time.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Beans, not chili
Chili is a spiced meat stew. These beans are a sweet-savory side.
Substitutions
Salt pork can replace bacon. Maple syrup can replace half the molasses.
Mistakes to avoid
A hot oven boils the pot dry. Stay at 300°F and check the liquid once.
Storage
Refrigerate 5 days. They thicken and taste better the next day.
Nutrition (estimated)
About 280 calories per serving. Estimate only, not a lab test.
FAQ
Do I have to soak dry beans?
Yes for this long bake. Canned beans are the shorter path in the note.
Too sweet?
Cut the brown sugar in half. Keep the molasses or they taste flat.
Vegetarian?
Skip the bacon and start the onion in oil. Add a pinch of smoked paprika.
Why are they still hard?
Old dry beans never soften. Or the liquid baked away. Add water and more time.