Boston Baked Beans Recipe - Slow Cooker or Dutch Oven

Tender and creamy navy beans in a sweet and tangy molasses sauce typical of New England. These homemade Boston baked beans are a true comfort food. Slow cooker and Dutch oven instructions included. This recipe requires a 6-qt slow cooker.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 12

Cook Time 6

Servings

Calories 409

Author Ronda Eagle | Kitchen Dreaming

Equipment

6 qt CrockPot or Slow Cooker OR
Clay Bean pot or Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2 pounds Dried white beans See Note 2
1/2 cup Molasses
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dry mustard
1/2 cup Dark-brown sugar
12 ounces Salt pork
2 teaspoons Salt , more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper
1 cup Onion , finely diced
5 cups Water (reserved from bean soaking)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Beans (Required for Both Methods)

Rinse the dried navy beans and remove any debris.
Place beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water by several inches.
Soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.
Drain the beans and place them in a large pot with fresh water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30–45 minutes, until beans are just tender but not fully cooked.
Drain, reserving the cooking liquid. See Note 1

Method 1: Traditional Oven-Baked Boston Baked Beans

This is the classic New England method and the way Boston baked beans were originally made.
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Place half of the salt pork in the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven or oven-safe bean pot.
Add half of the beans and half of the chopped onion. Repeat layers.
In a small bowl, mix molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper.
Pour the mixture over the beans.
Add enough reserved bean cooking liquid to just cover the beans.
Cover and bake for 5–6 hours, checking every hour and adding more liquid if needed.
During the final hour, uncover the pot to allow the sauce to thicken and darken.
Remove from oven when beans are tender and coated in a thick, rich sauce. See Note 3

Method 2: Crock Pot Boston Baked Beans

Layer salt pork, beans, and onion in a slow cooker.
Mix molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper; pour over beans.
Add enough reserved bean liquid to barely cover the beans.
Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours.
Remove lid during the last 30 minutes if you want a thicker sauce. See Note 3

Video

Notes

Retain the soaking liquid to make more colorful, flavorful beans with a thicker broth.
Dried white beans like Navy beans or Great Northern - I prefer Navy beans for their size. Larger beans like great northern and white kidney beans take a little longer to cook.
How to Thicken Baked Beans if they are too watery:
1. Remove 1 cup of beans, mash them with a fork, return them to the pot, and stir to combine. The starch in the beans will act as a natural thickener.
2. Make a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk the cornstarch so that it's smooth and then stir it into the beans. The heat in the pot will thicken the cornstarch. This is a great gluten-free alternative to flour.
3. Use 2 tablespoons flour mixed with 1/4 cup cold water for each cup of liquid to be thickened. Thoroughly mix the water and flour to prevent lumps. After stirring the combined flour and water into the sauce, cook another 10 minutes until thickened.
4. Beans themselves are starchy and act as a natural thickener for the sauce. Sometimes, however, the beans can be a little too thin at the end of the cooking time. This is especially true with slow cooker baked beans where the cooking liquid is not lost during cooking.

Nutrition