The Best Baked Beans
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 401
- Total Fat
- 12
- Saturated Fat
- 4
- Carbohydrates
- 53
- Dietary Fiber
- 10
- Sugar
- 18
- Protein
- 17
- Cholesterol
- 19
- Sodium
- 376
- Total: 5 hr
- Active: 1 hr
Ingredients
8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried navy beans, picked through
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the paprika and toast, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato sauce, molasses, bourbon, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.
- Add the beans and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Bake until the beans are tender, about 3 hours. (If the beans are still slightly firm, continue cooking, stirring every 45 minutes and adding more water if necessary to just cover.)
- Once the beans are tender, uncover and increase the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake until the beans are thick and browned, about 1 more hour. (Again, if the beans need more time, continue cooking, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary.) Remove from the oven and thin with water if necessary.