Ina Garten molasses baked beans, a make ahead side dish, came from chef Erin French’s cookbook at Maine’s Lost Kitchen. Pork belly and bacon slow-bake in a thick molasses sauce at 300 degrees for five hours. Prep the pot a day ahead for your next dinner party.
Check the liquid level every hour while these bake, because dried-out beans turn tough and chalky. Adding a splash of boiling water keeps them creamy, and pulling the lid for the last 15 minutes gives that dark mahogany finish.
Source: Go-To Dinners (2022)
Ina Garten Molasses Baked Beans
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium8
servings15
minutes5
hours50
minutes530
kcalWhite beans soak overnight, then join rendered pork belly and smoked bacon in a sauce of molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, and dry mustard. Five hours in a low oven turns them tender, deeply colored, and smoky.
Ingredients
1½ pounds dried cannellini or Great Northern white beans
½ pound pork belly (rind removed), ½-inch diced
½ pound slab smoked bacon, ½-inch diced
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
1½ cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
½ cup ketchup, such as Heinz
½ cup molasses, such as Grandma’s
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dry mustard, such as Coleman’s
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Soak the beans: The night before you plan to cook, place the beans in a large bowl, add enough water to cover by 1 inch, and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat: The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
- Simmer the beans: Drain the beans and place them in a medium (10 to 11-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 45 to 50 minutes, until very tender. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface while they cook. Drain and return the beans to the Dutch oven.
- Brown the pork: Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Heat a large (12-inch) sauté pan over medium heat and cook the pork belly and bacon together for 5 to 7 minutes, tossing often, until lightly browned. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and drain off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned.
- Combine and bake: Add the onions and the reserved pork mixture to the beans along with the brown sugar, ketchup, molasses, maple syrup, vinegar, dry mustard, red pepper flakes, 4 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and combine. Pour in enough of the boiling water to just cover the beans, cover, and bake for 5 hours, checking the liquid level every hour.
- Finish and serve: If the beans are too dry, add a little more boiling water. Remove the lid for the last 15 minutes so the beans turn a warm mahogany color. Check the seasonings and serve hot.
FAQs
Can I use canned beans instead of dried?
You can use four 15-ounce cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, but the texture won’t be the same. Canned beans are already soft, so they’ll break down more during the long bake. Skip the overnight soak and the simmering step, and add the canned beans directly at step 5.
How long do leftover molasses baked beans keep?
They’ll last up to 5 days in the fridge in a sealed container and actually taste better the next day. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water, since the sauce thickens as it cools. These also freeze well for up to 3 months.
Can I make these the day before serving?
That’s exactly what they’re built for. Bake the full recipe, let it cool, then refrigerate overnight. Reheat at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes with a little water if the sauce has thickened.
Do I need a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven is ideal because it holds heat evenly over the long bake time. Any heavy, oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid will work. Avoid thin pots, because hot spots can scorch the beans on the bottom during 5 hours of baking.
What if I can’t find pork belly?
Use a full pound of thick-cut bacon instead, diced the same way. The flavor will be smokier and a little less rich. The beans will still turn out well, since the bacon and the molasses sauce carry most of the flavor.
