Baked Beans (BBB)

This recipe is from the Ball Blue Book copyright 1999. I make this recipe at least once each year and often can a portion for later. That way I don’t serve baked beans for a week straight. I like baked beans mashed with some of the gravy and spread on buttered whole wheat bread for sandwiches with a dill pickle.

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8-12

Prep Time: 1 hour divided Cook Time: 4&1/2 hours divided

Ingredients

2 Pounds of beans (BBB suggests navy beans but any small beans up to kidney beans work well)
4 teaspoons salt–half added to the beans at the boiling start.
1/2 pound of salt pork or bacon, cut up
3 large onions, chopped
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses

Directions

Soak the dry beans in enough water to cover them by a few inches. I use a six quart pot. Start the soak after supper and plan to use the beans the next day. Drain the beans and refill the pot with fresh water and boil them until the skins split.

Drain the beans and save the cooking water.

Mix the onions, sugar, molasses, mustard powder and salt; add to the chopped onions and bacon. Mix the beans and other ingredients together and add enough of the bean water to make the beans swim–about 1 1/2 quarts.

Put the entire mix in a large oven safe pan (I use an enamel roaster) and bake at 350 for about 3 and 1/2 hours with the lid on the pan. Check the liquid and add water as needed.

Categories: Beans, Beans, Grains & Rice, Main Dish

Tags: Traditional