Official Boston Baked Bean Recipe

Throughout its history, Boston has been tied to beans. Surely the humble vegetable is not the kind of association the city’s ancestors would have sought when striving to make their city’s mark on the New World. But they did come across, as evidenced by the names Beantown, Boston Baked Beans, Beanpot Hockey Tourney, and Boston Bean Pot, among others.

However, it wasn’t until the 1900s, with its emphasis on healthy eating, that the homey image of a bubbling pot of beans gained popularity. Beans are of the moment, the very definition of what our food should be: rich in carbohydrates and fiber.

As anyone who has ever cooked for a Boston ham and bean church dinner will tell you: the ideal method of cooking beans is in a bean pot in the oven, to make Boston baked beans the real old fashioned way. For that deliciously slow, sweetly fragrant bake, you need traditional pots and sturdy stoneware that protects your beans from burning or overcooking, while keeping them moist and flavorful. This recipe takes the traditional way of cooking authentic Boston baked beans.

OFFICIAL RECIPE for BOSTON BAKED BEANS

8 servings

2-1/2-quart bean pot version

1 package (1 pound) navy beans or peas

1/4 pound salt pork, cut into 2 pieces

1 small whole onion, peeled

1 teaspoon dry mustard

8 cups of water

1/3 cup molasses

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

3 spoonfuls of sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1) Soak beans overnight in a large saucepan in 6 cups of water. Add baking soda. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander over a large bowl. Save liquid.

2) Place the beans, salt pork and onion in the bean pot. Add the molasses, salt, sugar, dry mustard, pepper, and a cup of water. Stir well. Add enough water to cover the beans. Cover the pot of beans.

3) Bake 2 hours at 300 degrees. Add the rest of the water and stir again. Bake an additional 1-1/2 hours (or until beans are just tender). Uncover the last 1/2 hour.