Baked Beans
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
Trim the rind from the bacon and cut it into 1‑inch slices.
Wash the beans and soak them overnight in plenty of cold water.
Drain the beans, cover them with fresh cold water, and boil for 5 minutes.
Drain again and place the beans in a shallow baking dish.
Bake
Lay the bacon on top, cover with cold water, and bake in a moderate oven (350°F / 175°C) until the beans are soft, about 4 to 5 hours.
Stir the beans every half hour and add water if they become too dry.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Dried beans
- Form the bulk of the dish and turn soft and tender during the long bake.
- Fat bacon
- Adds fat and savoury flavour that carries into the beans as they cook.
The step that matters
Keeping the beans covered with liquid while baking. Dried beans need long, gentle cooking to soften fully. If they dry out, they can toughen or scorch on top, so adding water as the record directs keeps them moist and evenly tender.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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