Best 6 Chef Johns Boston Baked Beans Recipes

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Boston baked beans, a traditional New England dish, are a savory and molasses-rich treat often served at summer gatherings and potlucks. Chef John's rendition of this classic recipe combines simple and affordable ingredients, making it a delightful and accessible option for home cooks. This recipe results in tender beans soaked in a flavorful sauce that perfectly complements any barbecue or picnic spread.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CHEF JOHN'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS



Chef John's Boston Baked Beans image

This is a great side dish with anything!

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Side Dish     Beans and Peas     Baked Bean Recipes

Time 10h45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound dry navy beans
6 cups water
1 pinch baking soda
1 bay leaf
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
⅓ cup molasses
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Steps:

  • Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with enough water by several inches. Drain and place beans into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with 6 cups water, baking soda, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, saving bean-cooking liquid.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
  • Transfer beans into clean Dutch oven and stir bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into beans. Pour enough of the hot reserved bean liquid in to cover beans; stir.
  • Cover Dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check liquid level and add more of the reserved bean liquid to bring liquid up to cover beans. Return to oven and continue baking until beans are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.
  • Raise oven heat to 350; bake beans uncovered in oven until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 more minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 410.6 calories, Carbohydrate 72.5 g, Cholesterol 10.1 mg, Fat 5.2 g, Fiber 19.2 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 860.5 mg, Sugar 23.5 g

CHEF JOHN'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS



Chef John's Boston Baked Beans image

This is a great side dish with anything!

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Baked Beans

Time 10h45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound dry navy beans
6 cups water
1 pinch baking soda
1 bay leaf
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
⅓ cup molasses
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Steps:

  • Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with enough water by several inches. Drain and place beans into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with 6 cups water, baking soda, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, saving bean-cooking liquid.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
  • Transfer beans into clean Dutch oven and stir bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into beans. Pour enough of the hot reserved bean liquid in to cover beans; stir.
  • Cover Dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check liquid level and add more of the reserved bean liquid to bring liquid up to cover beans. Return to oven and continue baking until beans are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.
  • Raise oven heat to 350; bake beans uncovered in oven until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 more minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 410.6 calories, Carbohydrate 72.5 g, Cholesterol 10.1 mg, Fat 5.2 g, Fiber 19.2 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 860.5 mg, Sugar 23.5 g

ST. JOHN BEANS AND BACON



St. John Beans and Bacon image

The London chef Fergus Henderson specializes in making British classics even more delicious at his popular restaurant St. John. Here's his fragrant, richly flavored version of traditional baked beans with salt pork, a dish that evolved into an American staple. Using lots of fresh herbs and a little canned tomato is the key; pass crusty bread at the table to mop up the sauce.

Provided by Julia Moskin

Categories     dinner, beans, meat, main course, side dish

Time 2h

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 pound dried white beans, soaked overnight
1/4 cup duck fat or extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound salt pork or pancetta, cut into large lardons (about 1/4 inch by 1 inch)
1 quart good-quality chicken or meat stock
6 garlic cloves, left whole (no need to peel)
1 large bouquet garni of sage, thyme, rosemary and parsley, tied
2 large white or yellow onions, chopped
2 leeks, trimmed, white and pale green parts thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
Sea salt and black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 (14-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes and their juices

Steps:

  • Drain the beans and put them in a medium pot. Cover by about 1 inch of cold water, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until beans are thoroughly giving (but not mushy). This will take approximately 1 to 2 hours, depending on the freshness of the beans. Once cooked, remove from the heat, but keep them in their liquor so they do not dry out.
  • Get a large, deep pan hot and add the duck fat (or oil). Add the lardons and cook over low heat to render the fat, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
  • In a saucepan, combine stock, garlic cloves and bouquet garni. Heat to a simmer then cook, 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
  • When the lardons are golden, remove with a slotted spoon. To the fat in the pan, add onions, leeks and celery, season with salt and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the sage and the entire tin of tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes in your hands as you do so. Let this cook down for 15 minutes to thicken the tomatoes, stirring to remove all the good lardon bits that might adhere to the pan. Stir in 1 cup of the simmered stock. Season to taste.
  • Drain the beans and add them to the pan with the tomato mixture. Add the lardons and 1 more cup stock and gently mix everything together. Season very well with salt and pepper. Cover and let cook over low heat for 10 to 20 minutes, adding stock a ladleful at a time if the mixture seems to be drying out. Serve hot.

EASY BOSTON BAKED BEANS



Easy Boston Baked Beans image

Easy Boston Baked Beans with a rich, sweet sauce.

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 10

3 (15.5 ounce) cans white navy beans
10 strips bacon
1 onion (diced)
6 Tablespoons molasses
4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 cup ketchup
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Rinse and drain beans, then spread in the bottom of prepared pan.
  • Lay bacon slices on top of beans in the pan.
  • Sprinkle diced onion over bacon.
  • In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce.
  • Bring to a boil, remove from heat, then pour over beans in the pan. Use a spoon to spread evenly over the top.
  • Cover dish with foil and bake for 3 hours, or until beans are tender and heated through.

Nutrition Facts : Servingsize 1 serving, Calories 3922 kcal, Fat 68 g, SaturatedFat 27 g, Cholesterol 87 mg, Sodium 16028 mg, Carbohydrate 638 g, Sugar 366 g, Protein 204 mg

CHEF JOHN'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS



Chef John's Boston Baked Beans image

This is a great side dish with anything!

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Baked Beans

Time 10h45m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 pound dry navy beans
6 cups water
1 pinch baking soda
1 bay leaf
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, diced
⅓ cup molasses
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Steps:

  • Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with enough water by several inches. Drain and place beans into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with 6 cups water, baking soda, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, saving bean-cooking liquid.
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
  • Transfer beans into clean Dutch oven and stir bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into beans. Pour enough of the hot reserved bean liquid in to cover beans; stir.
  • Cover Dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check liquid level and add more of the reserved bean liquid to bring liquid up to cover beans. Return to oven and continue baking until beans are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.
  • Raise oven heat to 350; bake beans uncovered in oven until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 more minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 410.6 calories, Carbohydrate 72.5 g, Cholesterol 10.1 mg, Fat 5.2 g, Fiber 19.2 g, Protein 20.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.4 g, Sodium 860.5 mg, Sugar 23.5 g

BOSTON BAKED BEANS



Boston Baked Beans image

Squat, glazed ceramic bean pots lurk in cabinets all over New England. They're traditional for Boston baked beans, but enameled cast iron is faster. Beans in cast iron can be brought to a boil over a burner before the dish goes into the oven; this saves about an hour.

Provided by Pete Wells

Categories     dinner, snack, one pot, side dish

Time 4h

Yield 8 to 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 pound dried navy or Great Northern beans
1/2 pound salt pork or bacon, rind removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup dark molasses or maple syrup, preferably Grade B
1/4 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
1 thyme branch (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar, plus more to taste

Steps:

  • Pick through the beans for stones, rinse them thoroughly and soak in water overnight. (Leave soaking until ready to cook; you'll need the water.)
  • Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place a Dutch oven, 5-quart size or larger, over low heat. Add the salt pork or bacon and fry until crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Raise heat to medium and stir in the onion. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Add the beans to the pan along with enough of the soaking liquid to cover them by 1/2 inch, adding fresh water if needed. Add the garlic cloves, molasses or maple syrup, ketchup, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon pepper and the thyme branch and bay leaf, if using. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and put in oven.
  • Check the liquid level in the pot every hour or so, and add hot water as needed to barely cover the beans. Cook until beans are very soft but not falling apart, 2 to 3 hours. Remove from oven. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar; let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then taste a bean and some liquid, adding more salt, pepper or vinegar, if you like. Serve, or cool completely and reheat.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 287, UnsaturatedFat 11 grams, Carbohydrate 24 grams, Fat 19 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 7 grams, Sodium 851 milligrams, Sugar 12 grams

Tips:

  • Soak the beans overnight: Soaking the beans overnight helps to soften them and reduce the cooking time. You can also quick-soak the beans by boiling them for 1 minute, then removing them from the heat and letting them sit for 1 hour.
  • Use a variety of beans: Don't be afraid to mix and match different types of beans in your Boston baked beans. Some popular options include navy beans, Great Northern beans, and kidney beans.
  • Add some sweetness: Boston baked beans are typically sweetened with molasses or brown sugar. You can also add other sweeteners, such as maple syrup or honey.
  • Use a flavorful broth: The broth that you use to cook the beans will add a lot of flavor to the dish. Use a flavorful broth, such as chicken broth or vegetable broth.
  • Add some spices: To add some extra flavor to your Boston baked beans, try adding some spices, such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  • Cook the beans until they are tender: Boston baked beans should be cooked until they are tender but still hold their shape. This will take about 1-2 hours.
  • Serve with your favorite sides: Boston baked beans are a great side dish for any meal. They can be served with grilled meats, fried chicken, or even just a simple salad.

Conclusion:

Boston baked beans are a classic New England dish that is enjoyed by people of all ages. They are a delicious and hearty side dish that is perfect for any occasion. With a few simple tips, you can make Boston baked beans that are sure to impress your family and friends.

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