American
Slow-Baked Boston Beans
Navy beans bake slowly with salt pork, onion, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, and cider vinegar until creamy inside and lacquered mahogany.
10 servings · 25 minutes prep · 360 minutes cook
Ingredients
Beans and Pork
- 1 pound dried navy beans, sorted and rinsed
- 8 ounces salt pork, rind removed; cut into 1/2-inch cubes; rinse well, or blanch 2 minutes and drain if heavily cured or especially salty
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Molasses Sauce
- 1/3 cup unsulfured molasses
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- up to 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, only if needed, add only after tasting the beans and sauce at the 2-hour baking check
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Soak and Par-Cook
- Cover the navy beans with 3 inches of cold water and soak for 12 hours. Drain and cover with fresh water in a large pot.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer, and cook 45 to 60 minutes until a bean is creamy throughout with only slight resistance but still holds its shape. Extend the water simmer if needed before adding the acidic sauce. Drain, reserving 4 cups bean liquid.
Assemble the Bean Pot
- Heat the oven to 300°F / 150°C. Rinse the salt pork well; if it is heavily cured or especially salty, blanch it in simmering water for 2 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Put half the pork and all the onion in a Dutch oven; add the beans and top with remaining pork.
- Whisk the molasses, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and pepper with 3 cups hot bean liquid. Pour over the beans; the liquid should cover them by 1/2 inch. Reserve the salt until the beans have baked for 2 hours.
Bake and Lacquer
- Cover and bake for 4 hours, checking hourly after the first 2 hours and adding hot reserved liquid as needed to keep the top moist. At the first 2-hour check, taste a bean with its sauce; stir in up to 1 teaspoon salt only if needed.
- Uncover and bake 45 to 60 minutes more until the sauce clings and the top is mahogany. Rest 20 minutes before stirring gently and serving.
