Serves 4
1155 min
Baked Beans
Recipe GLPRc247d3dd468c77
A traditional American baked beans recipe featuring tender navy beans slow-cooked with smoky bacon, caramelized onions, and a rich blend of brown sugar, mustard, and tomato. The dish is gently simmered for hours until the beans are creamy and infused with bourbon, whole cloves, and a touch of apple cider vinegar for depth. This hearty, savory-sweet side dish serves four and is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
210 grams (about 1 cup) dried navy beans
as needed to cover beans by 2 inches water (for soaking beans overnight)
100 grams, cut into 1/3-inch cubes slab bacon
150 grams (1 small), finely minced onion
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
75 grams (about 1/3 cup) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
⅔ cup tomato juice
1⅓ cups water (for cooking)
5 whole whole cloves
to taste salt
to taste black pepper
1½ teaspoons (1-2, to taste) apple cider vinegar
Directions
Rinse the dried navy beans thoroughly under cold water, removing any debris. Place them in a large bowl and cover with enough cold water to submerge the beans by at least 2 inches. Cover the bowl and let the beans soak overnight (or at least 8 hours) until they have softened and expanded.
The following day, drain the soaked beans and set aside. In a large Dutch oven, arrange the bacon cubes in a single layer over medium heat. Cook until the bottom side turns golden brown, about 4-5 minutes, then flip the pieces and cook the other side until browned, another 3-4 minutes. The bacon should be partially rendered but not fully crispy.
Add the minced onions to the pot with the bacon and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and develop a caramel-brown color, about 8-10 minutes.
Deglaze the pot by pouring in the bourbon and using a wooden spoon to scrape up any flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom of the Dutch oven. Let the bourbon reduce slightly for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the drained beans to the pot along with the dark brown sugar, whole grain mustard, tomato juice, 1⅓ cups water, and the 5 whole cloves. Stir everything together until well combined.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low, cover the Dutch oven with a lid, and cook for approximately 3 hours. Stir the beans every 30-40 minutes and check the consistency. If the mixture becomes too thick and dry, add additional water a quarter-cup at a time to maintain a slightly soupy, sauce-like consistency.
The beans are finished when they are very tender and easily break when pressed against the side of the pot. Remove from heat and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Stir in the apple cider vinegar (1-2 teaspoons, depending on desired tartness). Remove the whole cloves before serving if preferred.
