Our homemade baked beans recipe starts with dried navy beans that simmer in a sweet, savory and smoky sauce. It is everything you want as a side dish for potlucks, summer picnics, tailgates or backyard barbecues.
Instructions
1
Soak the dried beans
2
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the dried beans, salt and 2 quarts of the water to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand for one hour. Drain the beans, and discard the liquid. Editor’s Tip: Soaking beans in salted water takes time, but it's worth it. The beans will cook faster and more evenly. We use the quick-soak method here, but you could soak the beans overnight if you prefer.
3
Simmer the beans
4
Return the drained beans to the saucepan. Cover the beans with the remaining 2 quarts water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving the liquid. Editor’s Tip: You might be tempted to throw everything in the pot together, but hold fast. Dried beans won’t become soft and tender if they’re cooked with acidic ingredients like molasses.
5
Prepare the baked beans
6
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Return the drained beans to the saucepan. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, onion, molasses, bacon, brown sugar, mustard and pepper. Pour the mixture into a greased 2-1/2 quart baking dish.
7
Bake the beans
8
Cover the dish, and bake for 3 hours to 3 hours and 30 minutes or until the beans reach the desired consistency, stirring occasionally and adding more reserved cooking liquid if needed. Editor’s Tip: Baked beans will get thicker the longer they cook. If you accidentally tossed the reserved cooking liquid, use water or broth to thin the baked beans.
