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Thicked Boston baked beans with bacon in a large pot garnished with fresh parsley.
4.88 from 8 votes

Boston Baked Beans

Thick and saucy, these Boston Baked Beans are made with dry navy beans and thick-cut bacon and slowly cooked in a sweet molasses-based sauce. Perfect for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Soaking Time12 hours
Total Time17 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 405kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 pound navy beans - or great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
  • 3 cloves garlic - peeled and left whole
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 carrot - peeled
  • 1 large white onion - divided, half left whole and the other diced 
  • 1 pound thick-cut bacon - chopped
  • cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • ¼ cup ketchup
  • 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Add the dried beans to a large bowl, cover with cold water, and soak overnight.
  • Drain the beans and add them to a large pot with the garlic, celery, bay leaves, carrot, and half of the white onion (left whole). Fill the pot with water, covering the beans by about 2 inches. 
  • Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover with an offset lid. Simmer for approximately one hour or until the beans are tender, not mushy. As the beans simmer, check periodically and skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
  • Once tender, remove the spices and whole ingredients from the beans.
  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Heat a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté the second half of the onion (diced) and the bacon until the bacon is partially cooked and the onion is translucent then mix in the brown sugar, molasses, ketchup, mustard, salt, and pepper until completely combined
  • Carefully transfer the beans and cooking liquid to the oven-safe pot or Dutch oven containing the bacon and onions. Mix to combine.
  • Cover the pot with aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Check the beans occasionally and stir gently, making sure they don't dry out. If needed, add a bit of water or broth.
  • Bake the beans for 2 ½-3 hours, or until the beans are tender and the sauce has thickened significantly. 
  • Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Keep leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 796mg | Potassium: 611mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1384IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg
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