Nova Scotia Baked Beans
Slow-baked white beans in a sweet, sticky sauce of molasses, salt pork and onion, a Saturday-night Maritime tradition often served with brown bread.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Total
- 260 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 290 kcal
Equipment
- •Bean pot or Dutch oven
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- fat
- 8 g
- carbs
- 42 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 290
Instructions
- 1
Drain the soaked beans, cover with fresh water, and simmer for 45-60 minutes until just tender but not soft; drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 150C (300F).
- 3
Place the onion in the bottom of a bean pot or Dutch oven, then add the beans and diced salt pork.
- 4
Mix the molasses, brown sugar, mustard, salt and pepper with 750 ml of the reserved cooking liquid and pour over the beans.
- 5
Cover and bake for 3.5-4 hours, checking occasionally and adding more liquid if the beans look dry.
- 6
Uncover for the last 30 minutes to let the top brown slightly.
- 7
Serve hot, straight from the pot.
Chef's tips
Keep the beans just covered in liquid throughout baking; letting them dry out too much will make them tough rather than tender.
Ingredient substitutions
- salt pork → smoked bacon for a milder, smokier flavour
Storage
Keeps 4 days covered in the fridge; freezes well for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the oven, adding a splash of water if needed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not pre-soaking the dried beans
- •Adding salt too early, which can toughen the beans while they cook
Serving suggestions
Cooked Nova Scotia Baked Beans?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
