Nana's Beans

Welcome to Boston Baked Blather, a small blog about cooking, knitting, harp playing and whatever else I can blather about.

Today, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, and proclaimed six more weeks of winter. I believe him. The cold has been settled in here for a while now, and I've been making soups and stews and other warming dishes.

To start off this blog, I'd like to share a recipe for Boston Baked Beans. My sister's husband's grandmother graciously shared her recipe, and now my sister brings the beans to just about every family gathering.

From the first, "Hmmm, I'd like some baked beans," to the time when they come out of the oven is 28 hours. That's 12 hours soaking (or more), and 16 hours baking. So if you want them for noon on a Saturday, start soaking the beans at 8 a.m. the Friday before, and put them in the oven at 8 p.m. on Friday night.

And don't worry if you don't have a tradition of baked beans in your family, as my sister says, it's not in the genes, it's in the beans.

Nana's Beans
1 pound Great Northern Beans
1 large onion, chopped
1.5 inch square of salt pork, diced
1/2 pound bacon, chopped

syrup - mix and warm on stove:
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
salt and pepper
2 cups water

Sort through the beans and pick out anything that isn't a bean. Put the dry beans in a big bowl or pot and cover them with plenty of water and soak overnight, or at least 12 hours.

Rinse the beans with hot water, and make the syrup.

Put the beans in a casserole dish, or even a small kettle, in 3 layers as follows:
- half the beans
- onions, salt pork, and bacon
- half the beans

Cover with the warm syrup. If the syrup doesn't cover the beans, add hot water to the pot until the beans are just covered. Do not put a lid on the pot, but bake them uncovered.

Bake at 275 F for 12 hours, then reduce the oven heat to 250 F and bake for 4 hours.


That's all. Hope you enjoy it.