Boston Baked Beans
A comforting pork built around thick cut bacon, canned kidney beans and molasses — roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and frying pan / skillet. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (5)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: contains meat, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Mustard
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Preheat the oven to 150 C (300 F) and drain and rinse the canned kidney beans, reserving about 1 cup of water.
- Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces and fry in an ovenproof pot over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the fat renders but the bacon is not yet crisp.
- Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 4 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Stir in the molasses, blackstrap molasses, dark brown sugar, dark rum, dijon mustard and black pepper, then add the drained beans and enough reserved water to almost cover them.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then cover the pot with a lid and transfer it to the oven.
- Bake for about 2 hours, stirring once or twice and adding a splash more water if the beans look dry, until they are tender and the sauce has thickened and turned deep brown.
- Uncover for the final 20 minutes to let the top caramelise, then season with salt to taste and serve hot.
You'll use: Oven · Frying pan / skillet · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Brown Sugar
- white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup
Tips & common questions
How long does Boston Baked Beans take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of brown sugar?
Try white sugar + 1 tbsp molasses per cup. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Boston Baked Beans is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Boston Baked Beans in Concord, Mass 2012-0193.jpg by Victorgrigas, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.