James Beards Boston Baked Beans Food

JAMES BEARD'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, soak the beans in 2 quarts of water for 6 hours. Drain the beans and put them in a large pot. Add the salt and enough cool water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just barely tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain well.
• Bring another pot of water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. In the bottom of a large casserole with a tight-fitting lid, place the peeled onion -- yes, whole -- and spareribs (or baby-back ribs). Spread the beans on top. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar (or molasses), mustard and black pepper and add this to the beans and pork. Pour in just enough boiling water to cover the beans, put the lid on and bake, occasionally adding more boiling water to keep the beans covered, until they are tender but not falling apart, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove the casserole from the oven. Season the beans with salt. Pull the meat from the ribs. Discard the bones and excess fat and stir the meat back into the beans. With the lid off, return the casserole to the oven and let the beans finish cooking, uncovered and without additional water, until the sauce has thickened and is nicely caramelized on top, about 45 minutes more.

BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Soak beans in a large bowl of water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain beans and put them in a large oven-safe pot with a heavy bottom and a tightfitting lid. Add 1 teaspoon salt and enough cool water to cover 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the beans are just tender, approximately 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and remove beans.
• Heat the oven to 250 degrees. Bring a kettle full of water to a boil on the stove. Return the heavy-bottomed pot to the stove and turn the heat to medium high. Cook the bacon in the bottom of the pot until it begins to brown, then turn off the heat and add the chopped onion and, on top of it, the beans. Mix together molasses, mustard and black pepper, and add the mixture to the pot. Pour in enough boiling water to cover beans, put the lid on and bake, occasionally adding more water to keep beans covered, until they are tender but not falling apart, 4 to 5 hours.
• Remove beans from oven, uncover, stir and season with salt. With the lid off, return pot to oven and let beans finish cooking, uncovered and without additional water, until the sauce has thickened and the top is deeply crusty, about 45 minutes more.

ALMOST BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Wash and pick through the beans.
• Place in a large pot, cover with a few inches of water and bring to a boil. Boil hard for 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit covered for 1 hour.
• Drain in a colander and rinse and dry pot to use again.
• Heat pot over medium heat and add bacon, cooking to almost crisp. You may remove most of the rendered fat but I like to leave it in for the flavour.
• Add onions and saute for 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute a couple more minutes until both are softening but not brown.
• Add 4 cups of the water, the molasses, syrup, chile sauce, mustard, worcestershire and pepper. Bring to a boil.
• IMPORTANT: do not add any salt or the vinegar. These must be added at the very end or the beans may not soften.
• Add drained beans, bring to a boil again and then place in a large casserole dish or roaster and cover.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees. Check after 2 hours for doneness and for liquid level, then every half hour after that. If beans are not done but liquid is almost gone add a small amount of water. Don't add too much especially toward the end.
• When beans are very soft carefully stir in the vinegar and salt to taste. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.
• I like to transfer these to a crockpot when they are almost all soft and keep on low for a few hours, checking now and then.

CHEF JOHN'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with enough water by several inches. Drain and place beans into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with 6 cups water, baking soda, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, saving bean-cooking liquid.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Transfer beans into clean Dutch oven and stir bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into beans. Pour enough of the hot reserved bean liquid in to cover beans; stir.
• Cover Dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check liquid level and add more of the reserved bean liquid to bring liquid up to cover beans. Return to oven and continue baking until beans are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.
• Raise oven heat to 350; bake beans uncovered in oven until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 more minutes.

BEEF & BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Tip the beans into a large pan, then pour in enough water to cover the beans by 5cm. Add the bay and leave to soak overnight. The next day, drain the beans, return to the pan and pour in enough fresh water to cover the beans by 3cm. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 mins until the beans are tender (you may need to top up the water slightly as they cook).
• Heat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 2. Heat the oil in a large casserole or ovenproof saucepan, and fry the beef for 5 mins over a high heat until evenly browned (you'll need to do this in batches). Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the lardons and onion to the pan, and cook over a medium- high heat for 5-7 mins until the onions are turning golden and the lardons are starting to crisp.
• Stir the beef back into the pan. Add the beans along with the cooking liquid, and stir in the garlic, treacle, tomato purée, mustard powder and cloves. Season, then top up with some water so the beans are covered by 2-3cm. Cover and bring to a simmer, then transfer to the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins. Remove the lid, stir and return to the oven for 1 hr 30 mins until the meat is tender and the sauce rich. Once cooled, the beans can be frozen for up to three months (see below). Serve with jacket potatoes or bread and coleslaw.

THE BEST BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Use California pea beans, York State beans or small white navy beans.
• Soak beans overnight. Ensure water covers the beans by 4 - 5 inches. The beans will soak up the water.
• In the morning, preheat oven to 325°F
• Place the baking soda in a large pot and fill half way with water. Bring to a boil and add the beans. Boil for 10 minutes. Drain beans in a colander and run cold water through them. Set aside.
• Cut the bacon into 1 inch lengths. Put half of the bacon on the bottom of a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish (needs lid). Add the onion. Put beans in the casserole. Put the remaining bacon on top of the beans.
• Mix the sugar, molasses, mustard, salt and pepper with 3 cups of hot water and pour over the beans. Cover the casserole with the lid and place in preheated oven.
• Bake for 6 hours. Check the casserole periodically to check the amount of liquid. Add water to the beans slowly as needed to keep them moist; do not flood them.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and serve.