Maine Baked Beans

Name: Maine Baked Beans
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Maine
Ingredients: 1 lb navy beans; 0.25 lb salt pork; 1 piece Onion; 0.33 cup molasses; 1 tbsp Brown sugar; 1 tsp dry mustard; Salt; Water

Small white beans slow-baked with molasses and salt pork in a bean pot, a New England Saturday-night tradition especially strong in Maine.

🇺🇸United States· Maine

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 360 min
Total: 380 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 310 kcal

Equipment

•Bean pot or heavy Dutch oven

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 310 kcal
fat: 9
carbs: 45
protein: 13
calories: 310

Instructions

1
Drain the soaked beans and place them in a pot with fresh water. Simmer for about 45 minutes until skins loosen, then drain and save the liquid.
2
Preheat your oven to 300°F.
3
Put the onion in the bottom of a bean pot. Add the beans right on top.
4
Push the pieces of salt pork down into the beans.
5
Mix the molasses, brown sugar, and dry mustard with 2 cups of the reserved bean liquid. Pour this mixture over the beans.
6
Add more liquid or water until the beans are just covered.
7
Cover and bake for 5-6 hours. Check occasionally and add water if the beans look dry.
8
Take the lid off for the last 30 minutes so the top browns slightly.
9
Season with salt to taste once the beans are tender. Serve hot.

Chef's tips

Soak the beans overnight so they cook evenly. Check the liquid level during the long bake and add water as needed so the beans do not dry out. A traditional bean pot with a narrow neck helps hold in moisture.