Southern Baked Beans

Name: Southern Baked Beans
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 3 h 55 min
Total time: 4 h 25 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 pound (454 g) dried navy beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked in cold water for 8 hours or overnight, then drained; 8 ounces (227 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (12 mm) pieces; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup (240 ml) ketchup; ⅓ cup (80 ml) unsulphured molasses; ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, packed; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) yellow mustard; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) smoked paprika; 1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 6 cups (1420 ml) water, for cooking the beans, plus more if needed

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender navy beans slow-baked in a sweet, smoky, tangy sauce of molasses, brown sugar and ketchup, with crisp bacon and soft onion. A potluck and barbecue classic made from dried beans.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 3 hr 55 min
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 12 hr 25 min
Makes: About 8 cups (10 side-dish servings)

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Ingredients

10 servings

1 pound (454 g) dried navy beans, picked over, rinsed, and soaked in cold water for 8 hours or overnight, then drained
8 ounces (227 g) thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into ½-inch (12 mm) pieces
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced
3 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (240 ml) ketchup
⅓ cup (80 ml) unsulphured molasses
½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) yellow mustard
2 tablespoons (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) smoked paprika
1½ teaspoons (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
6 cups (1420 ml) water, for cooking the beans, plus more if needed

Equipment (6)

6-quart (5.5 L) Dutch oven with lid, oven-safe
Large bowl for soaking beans
Colander
Sharp knife and cutting board
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Soak the beans in water the night before, or at least 8 hours, so they cook evenly.
Plan about 4 hours from the start of simmering to serving; the beans need time to soften and the sauce to thicken.
Use a heavy Dutch oven with a lid that can go in the oven, or transfer to a 3-quart (2.8 L) baking dish.
Do not add the ketchup, molasses or sugar until the beans are tender; acid and sugar keep beans firm.

1
Soak the beans
- Pick over the navy beans and discard any stones or shriveled beans.
- Rinse, then place in a large bowl with water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm).
- Soak 8 hours or overnight at room temperature.
- Drain in a colander.
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Ready when: Beans are plump and about double in size
Tip: Short on time? Cover with water, boil 2 minutes, then let stand off the heat for 1 hour before draining.
2
Render the bacon
- Set the Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until the fat has rendered and the pieces are browned but not fully crisp.
- Remove about half the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate and refrigerate for topping later.
- Leave the rest and the fat in the pot.
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Ready when: Bacon is golden brown and the bottom of the pot is coated in fat
Tip: If there is more than 3 tablespoons of fat, spoon off the excess.
3
Soften the aromatics
- Add the diced onion to the bacon and fat.
- Cook, stirring, 5 to 6 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and soft with light golden edges
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown or it turns bitter.
4
Simmer beans until tender
- Add the drained beans and 6 cups (1.4 L) water to the pot.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to low, partially cover, and simmer 60 to 75 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add a splash of hot water if the beans become exposed.
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Ready when: Beans are tender enough to mash easily against the side of the pot but still hold their shape
Tip: Do not salt or add acidic ingredients yet; they can leave beans tough.
5
Preheat the ovenOven 325°F / 165°C
- While the beans finish simmering, position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 325°F (165°C).
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Ready when: Oven reaches 325°F (165°C)
6
Make the sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, salt and pepper until smooth.
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Ready when: No streaks of molasses or lumps of sugar remain
Tip: Measure molasses in a lightly oiled or warm spoon or cup so it slides out cleanly.
7
Combine and bakeOven 325°F / 165°C
- Stir the sauce into the beans and their cooking liquid, which should just cover the beans (add hot water if not).
- Bring to a bubble over medium heat, cover, and transfer to the oven.
- Bake 1 hour, stirring once halfway.
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Ready when: Sauce is bubbling at the edges and beans are fully tender
Tip: Use oven mitts; the Dutch oven handles get very hot.
8
Uncover and thickenOven 325°F / 165°C
- Remove the lid, stir, and bake 45 to 60 minutes more, stirring every 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick, glossy and clings to the beans like syrup.
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Ready when: A spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that slowly fills in; beans are creamy inside
Tip: The sauce thickens more as it cools, so stop while it still looks slightly loose.
9
Top and restOven 325°F / 165°C
- Taste and add salt if needed.
- Sprinkle the reserved bacon over the top and bake uncovered 10 minutes to crisp it.
- Remove from the oven and rest 15 minutes before serving.
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Ready when: Bacon on top is sizzling and browned
Tip: Return the bacon to the pot only at the end or it will turn soft and chewy.

Good to know

Tips

Older dried beans can stay hard; buy beans from a store with good turnover and use within a year.
Hard water or too-early acid slows softening. Taste a bean before adding the sauce to confirm it is nearly tender.
Stir gently during baking so the beans stay whole instead of turning mushy.
For deeper smoke, add a smoked ham hock in step 4 and remove it before baking.

Make ahead

"Bake through step 8 up to 3 days ahead, cool, and refrigerate. Reheat covered at 325°F (165°C) for 30 minutes, adding a splash of water if thick, then add the bacon topping and finish uncovered for 10 minutes. The flavor is often better the next day."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a covered pot over low heat or in a 325°F (165°C) oven until steaming hot, adding water a tablespoon at a time to loosen."

Substitutions

dried navy beans → Great Northern beans. Slightly larger; may need 10 to 15 minutes more simmering.
unsulphured molasses → pure maple syrup. Gives a lighter, less robust flavor; the dish will taste milder.
thick-cut bacon → diced smoked ham or salt pork. Use the same weight; for a vegetarian version, omit and add 2 tablespoons oil plus 1 teaspoon extra smoked paprika.
dark brown sugar → light brown sugar. Less depth but works equally well.