Description
Ina Garten’s homemade baked beans elevate classic comfort cuisine with rich, smoky flavors. Hearty navy beans slow-cooked with bacon, molasses, and spices create a satisfying side dish you’ll crave at summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup navy beans, soaked overnight and drained (240 ml)
- 4 cups water (960 ml)
- ¼ cup ketchup (60 ml)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (60 ml)
- 2 tbsps molasses (30 ml)
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (5 ml)
- 2 tbsps brown sugar (30 ml)
- ½ tsp salt (2.5 ml)
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper (0.6 ml)
- 1/8 tsp chili powder (0.6 ml)
- 1 small onion, chopped
Instructions
- Bean Preparation: Thoroughly rinse navy beans and immerse in water, ensuring complete coverage. Bring to a vigorous boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes until beans become tender.
- Sauce Crafting: Whisk ketchup, maple syrup, dark brown sugar, blackstrap molasses, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, and chili powder in a mixing bowl to create a robust flavor profile.
- Assembly: Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Transfer to a ceramic casserole dish, integrating diced yellow onion and prepared molasses-based sauce. Pour reserved liquid to cover beans by 1/4 inch.
- Initial Baking: Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover dish and bake for 10 minutes to initiate flavor infusion.
- Slow Cooking: Reduce oven temperature to 200°F and continue cooking for 6 hours. Gently stir beans midway through to ensure even cooking and prevent adherence to the dish.
- Finishing Touch: Remove from oven when beans achieve a creamy consistency and sauce thickens. Allow to rest, covered, for 15 minutes before serving to enhance flavor melding.
Notes
- Soak Smartly: Rinse beans meticulously to remove dirt and potential debris, which enhances overall flavor and texture.
- Liquid Love: Maintain consistent moisture by reserving cooking liquid, ensuring beans remain creamy and preventing dry, tough results.
- Low and Slow Magic: Extended low-temperature cooking transforms tough beans into tender, flavor-packed deliciousness without burning or overcooking.
- Flavor Layering: Whisking sauce ingredients thoroughly before combining creates a harmonious blend of sweet, tangy, and savory notes that deeply penetrate the beans.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg