Central New York Baked Beans
Inspired by Grandma Browns baked beans, these beans are baked to a point of tenderness and creamy consistency.
Servings 8 servings
Calories 209kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried navy beans
- 6 cups water for initial bean preparation
- Additional water to cover beans in the final cooking stage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces chopped bacon 3 slices thick cut bacon
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 medium onion chopped (optional)
- 1 bay leaf optional
Instructions
Bean Preparation (To be done a day in advance):
- Sort through the navy beans to remove any debris.
- In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
- Add the navy beans to the boiling water and let them boil for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the beans to sit overnight.
Cooking Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- In a large oven-safe Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the onions have softened.
- Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot with the cooked bacon, dark brown sugar, and bay leaf. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
- Pour in enough fresh water to just cover the beans in the pot. Cover the pot with its lid.
- Bake the mixture in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 hours. Check on the beans every hour, stirring the mixture and adding more water as needed to ensure the beans are always just covered and not drying out.
- The final dish should be thick and not runny. Adjust the cooking time as needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 623mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g