1600s-present - English Puritan settlers and New England cooks adapting bean-and-pork dishes with molasses

Boston Baked Beans

Name: Boston Baked Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 5 h
Total time: 5 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound dried navy beans; 1 onion, peeled and halved; 4 ounces salt pork or thick-cut bacon; 1/3 cup molasses; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 2 teaspoons dry mustard; 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; Boiling water, as needed

Boston baked beans grew from New England bean cookery, English pork-and-bean traditions, and the colonial availability of molasses through Atlantic trade. The long bake made practical sense for Sabbath observance and cold-weather kitchens, and the dish became one of Boston's defining foods.

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Difficulty

Moderate

Prep time

20 minutes plus overnight soaking

Cook time

5 hours

Total time

5 hours 20 minutes plus soaking

Servings

8 servings

Region

Boston and New England

Era introduced

1600s-present

Introduced by

English Puritan settlers and New England cooks adapting bean-and-pork dishes with molasses

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The Story

Boston baked beans are both humble and historically loaded. Small dried beans, salt pork, mustard, and molasses cook slowly until the sauce turns dark and glossy. The molasses points to Boston's place in Atlantic commerce, including the brutal sugar and rum economies that shaped colonial New England. The home method is still straightforward: soak the beans, simmer until tender, then bake them low and slow in their cooking liquid with sweet, savory, and sharp seasonings.

Ingredients

1 pound dried navy beans
1 onion, peeled and halved
4 ounces salt pork or thick-cut bacon
1/3 cup molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Boiling water, as needed

Equipment

Dutch oven
Large pot
Skillet
Oven
Colander
Cutting board
Chef's knife
Measuring cups and spoons

Directions

Soak beans overnight in plenty of water.
Drain beans, cover with fresh water, and simmer until skins split when blown on, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
Heat oven to 300 F.
Place onion and salt pork or bacon in a bean pot or Dutch oven.
Add beans, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper.
Add enough reserved bean liquid to barely cover.
Cover and bake 4 to 5 hours, checking occasionally and adding hot water if dry.
Uncover for the final 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Taste and adjust salt before serving.

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Boston Baked Beans

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Ingredients

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