Traditional New England baked beans, aka Boston Baked Beans, is a meal in of itself. This old-fashioned from scratch recipe has been in our family for generations and is one that is considered the best baked bean recipe ever…according to our family anyway.
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Growing up in New England, you knew it was Saturday night when baked beans were on the menu. They are easy to make, very economical, filling, highly nutritional, and loved by everyone in the family…well, almost everyone. As a young child, the thought of having to eat even one single bite turned the stomach. Even the smell of them cooking turned the stomach. To this day the beans are cooked in the basement to reduce the cooking odors & the amount of nausea experienced.
For years no beans passed these lips thinking it was the beans that were disliked. To the amazement of my entire family years later, it was discovered that indeed it was not the beans themselves, but the molasses that was disliked. Happy to say that beans of all varieties are now thoroughly enjoyed by all 🙂 , including me .
New England Baked Beans Most Requested
In our family, and a large family it is (Dad’s side had a total of 16 siblings, yes, you heard right, 16 & Mom’s side 4), no event is complete without someone’s baked beans as part of the menu. It is one versatile dish that can feed the masses. B’s college graduation party is no different, breakout the old-fashioned baked bean recipe from scratch.
Was it mentioned that this dish is versatile? It can be made to suit any taste or dietary choice. Some variations include:
- Substitute the molasses for maple syrup…we are in New England 🙂
- Make a vegetarian version sans the salt pork
- Add beef, sausage, or bacon in lieu of salt pork
- Add sliced hotdogs in addition to the salt pork (R & B’s favorite way)
- Add your favorite BBQ sauce for a smokey flavor
- Apple & Root Beer for a different flavor
These are just a few to mention. Baked beans have been made with limitless variations, ingredients, & imagination.
Best Baked Bean Recipe
To make this variation of traditional New England baked beans you will need the following ingredients.
- Dry Beans (Kidney are the preferred)
- Dry Mustard
- Molasses
- Brown Sugar
- Salt Pork
- Water
How To Make Our Traditional Baked Beans
Follow these easy steps to make your own old-fashioned, from-scratch baked beans! A printable recipe card will follow for your convenience.
Step One
Place 2 lbs of kidney beans or your preferred bean in a large pot or crockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil.
Boil until the beans swell and float to the top as seen below.
Step Two
Add 1 tsp dry mustard, at least 2 large onions quartered, 1/4 cup molasses, 1 cup brown sugar, & a large piece of salt pork. Stir to combine well.
Step Three
Cook until beans are tender or to your desired level of tenderness. When using a crockpot as shown, cook on medium temperature for approximately 4-6 hours. Turn down to low-medium heat and cook until tender, approximately another 8 hours or overnight.
The beans will thicken as they cook. Add additional water as needed and stir occasionally. That’s all there is to making our families New England baked bean recipe. Hoping that all will enjoy these at B’s grad party, however, none will pass these lips 🙂 .
Do you have a favorite baked bean recipe? Love for you to share below! Be sure you subscribe to IMSL to receive our once per month newsletter, “happenings on the hill”.
Love, Light, & Laughter ~
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Dry Beans of choice (kidney recommended)
- 1 Tsp Dry Mustard
- 2 Whole Large Onions Quartered
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Molasses
- Large Piece of Salt Pork
- Water
Instructions
Place dry beans in a pan and cover with water. Bring to boil and cook until swollen and floating. Add the remainder of ingredients and stir to combine well. Cook on Medium heat for 4 hours. Reduce heat to Low-Medium and cook for an additional 8 hours or until desired tenderness is achieved.
46 comments
This looks like the recipe my mom made, everyone loved her beans. I’m trying to re-create. This is
the closest recipe I’ve seen in my search. All the other recipes soak the beans overnight, then drain and re-fresh the water but save 2 cups of the original liquid. Did you skip this step by accident? Or did you leave the same liquid for the recipe? Can’t remember what my mother did at this step. Thanks, trying it now, I’ve cooked the beans, but wondering if I should drain but save 2 cups to thicken?
We do not soak overnight. The liquid we use is just to cover the beans when boiling in the first step. Typically, no other liquid needs to be added or taken away. They thicken as they cook in the slow cooker. I hope that helps!
Just wanted to let you know that I am pretending it’s fall (even though our high today will be near 80) and just prepped this recipe and popped it into the crockpot! So excited to try it out for dinner tonight! Next up: your homemade kahlua recipe…
Ohhh, thank you for letting me know. I can’t wait to hear how they turned out and your thoughts! Please consider giving the recipe a rating if you could!
Dried beans are so much work but the taste difference compared to canned makes a huge difference. Will have to try out this recipe!
Couldn’t agree more Monica. This method is pretty fast and easy. Hope you give them a try!
I don’t think I’ve ever had baked beans from scratch before, only from a can and I don’t care for it. BUT I think I may like the real thing! I’m gonna pin this recipe! I wonder if it would work in an instantPot.
Hi, Ruth~ Homemade are very different from canned for sure. Yes, they can be made in an instant pot adjusting time and process to meet the pots requirements. We have only made them baked in the oven & crockpot, so I cannot attest to the results using an instant pot. Let me know if you do, we would love to find out how the recipe works & tastes!
Suzan, I’ve never heard of making baked beans with kidney beans, but why not? I love kidney beans, too. I could live on beans of all sorts, but my sister had a lifelong aversion to any type of beans. #HearthAndSoul
Hope you give them a try Jean. Thank you so much for stopping by!
I’d love to give this a try! Baked beans were always family staples at big events, but I’ve never made them myself.
I LOVE baked beans! My kids are split half and half about liking them. I’m going to trying this!
Glad your going to give them a try…maybe you can convert those still holding back 🙂 . Be sure to stop back and give the recipe a rating if you give them a try!
Yum! Sounds delicious!
Wow, those look amazing!
This looks so good and I don’t have a great baked bean recipe! I’ll have to try it out! I love your site!
Thank you, Elizabeth! Be sure to stop back and give the recipe a rating if you give them a try!
Ooooh, I am intrigued!!! I grew up in New England and we just moved down south FROM New England, but I have never made my own baked beans. (I’m so embarrassed). This recipe looks fantastic, so I’m going to print a copy of it and give it a try this fall! Thanks for sharing!! Yum!!
Thank you so much! Hope you give them a try. Be sure to stop back to give the recipe a rating 🙂
I have never really liked baked beans, but I like this twist! Sounds amazing and I may have to try 🙂
Totally feel you, Robin. Maybe they will make a convert out of you 🙂
My boyfriend LOVES baked beans so I’m super excited to make these for him! Thank you for sharing this recipe and I can’t wait to try it out!
Let us know how you like them!
I’ll have to try this! I actually prefer kidney beans in my chili, so I think I’d really like this. We normally do pinto beans as a side dish. This would be a fun variation!
Enjoy!
This looks so good I may have to give it a try.
I love beans in general and I like the fact that you pointed out some of the variations to cater everyone’s dietary needs. Its been a while since I made some at home and this gives me an idea to use my slow cooker 🙂
Sounds wonderful and easy enough that I could do it! Thank you for sharing your family’s recipe past down for generations. Those are the best recipes!
I think so too, Shirley. Hope you give them a try!
This is interesting to me because I grew up in Oklahoma and when I think of baked beans we always used pinto beans, I bet kidney beans would be delicious!
I love everything about this, especially that you make them in the basement! They’re one of my favorite side dishes too.
I know it is a bit unconventional 🙂
Oh my gosh! The thought of you crocking your beans in the basement is hilarious, but clever. I’m a vegetarian….if I leave out the salt pork, would you suggest a different ingredient?
The salt port does add the fat & flavor. To replace that, maybe add 1 Tbl EVOO or butter for every ounce of salt pork to replace the fat & add a bit of depth. I’d be curious if anyone else has suggestions as well! Good luck.
For me salt pork is a must in this but a great vegetarian meal too by easily leaving that out. I like that you added some variations to this great staple.
Thank you, Angela!
Thanks for the recipe. I guess I never thought of making homemade baked beans but now I feel challenged to do it.
So easy you will never go back to canned! Hope you give them a try!
these look delicious! pinned for later 😉
Many thanks, Laura! Enjoy!!
These look so good! Saving it to try soon!
Let us know how you like them!
I never thought of making these from scratch! My boys love beans! Will have to try this out!
Give them a try & let us know how the boys like them!
Looks yummy! Great pictures too.
Thank you, Amy!