BOSTON BAKED BEAN RECIPE RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare beans: Rinse well and discard any stones or shriveled beans.
• Soak beans in water in a 5 quart Dutch oven, using the overnight or quick soak method.
• Overnight Method: Cover each cup of dried beans with 3 cups of water; let stand for a minimum of 12 hours.
• Quick Soak Method: Add beans to boiling water, allowing 3 cups of water for each cup of beans, bring back to the boil and boil for 2 minutes; remove from heat, cover and leave for an hour, then cook in same water.
• Bring mixture to a boil, add salt, reduce heat, cover and simmer for an hour.
• Stir in molasses and next 3 ingredients.
• Stud the onion with the cloves; tuck onion & ham bone (or salt pork) into the beans.
• Cover and bake in a 250F oven for about 7 hours; check & stir about once an hour.
• Add more water to keep beans moist but not too wet OR remove lid to thicken mixture through evaporation; it all depends on your preference for thick or runny!
• Discard cloves, chop onion and return to mixture.
• Remove meat from ham bone (or cut salt pork into pieces, discarding fat) and return to mixture.

Steps:

• Put the beans in a large ovenproof pan or casserole and add enough cold water to just cover them. Bring to the boil and skim off any foam that appears on the top, then boil fiercely for 20 minutes. Turn down the heat and simmer for a further 40 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
• Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add the pork and bacon and dry fry until the fat starts to render and the meat has browned. Add this to the casserole with the beans. Fry the onion in the same pan until softened and starting to caramelise, then add this too. Deglaze the pan with the wine, sherry or bourbon, if using, or a little water, scraping up any brown bits. Pour this into the casserole.
• Tie the cloves, mace, bay and thyme into a piece of muslin, and drop into the casserole. Stir in the tomatoes, black treacle and mustard. Add the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce, if using, and season well with salt and pepper.
• Cover the casserole and place in the oven for 3 hours, then remove the lid and cook for a further 1 hour. The beans should be very tender and the sauce nicely thickened. Remove the muslin bag before serving.