Baked Beans Recipe

Soak the beans

Rinse the dried beans under cold water, remove any debris. Place beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 3 cups of water. Soak 8 hours or overnight. For a quick soak, bring beans and water to a boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat, cover and let stand 1 hour, then drain.

Cook the beans

Drain soaked beans and place in a large pot. Add 6 cups fresh water and the bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered until beans are just tender but not falling apart, 45–60 minutes depending on age of beans. Skim any foam. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Prepare sauce base

While beans cook, heat a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced bacon and cook until fat renders and bacon is browned, 6–8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer most of the bacon to a bowl leaving about 1–2 tablespoons of fat in the pan. Add chopped onion to the bacon fat and sauté until translucent and starting to brown, 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.

Combine sauce ingredients

Stir in tomato paste, ketchup, brown sugar, molasses, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper and salt. Cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes to loosen the tomato paste and meld flavors. If mixture is too thick, add 1/2 to 1 cup of the reserved bean cooking liquid to reach a saucy consistency.

Assemble and bake

Add the drained cooked beans and reserved bacon (reserve a small amount for garnish if desired) to the sauce in the Dutch oven. Stir gently to coat, taste and adjust seasoning (add more salt, sugar, or vinegar to balance sweet/tangy). If the mixture seems dry, add up to 1 cup additional bean cooking liquid or water. Cover with a lid or foil and transfer to a preheated 325°F (160°C) oven. Bake covered 1 hour. Uncover and bake an additional 20–30 minutes until sauce is thickened and glossy, stirring once halfway through.

Remove from oven and stir in butter until melted and incorporated for a silkier finish. Taste and adjust seasoning. Sprinkle chopped parsley and the reserved crisp bacon over the beans if using. Let rest 10 minutes before serving to allow sauce to thicken further.

Serve warm as a bulk carry-out portion. These beans hold well and can be reheated gently with a splash of water or reserved cooking liquid to loosen.