Baked beans
aren’t just for summertime picnics and tailgate parties. This tender, creamy,
slightly sweet dish makes a tasty side for any dinner, any time of year.
Pancetta adds bacony flavor and balances the sweetness of the sauce.
This recipe
is based on traditional Boston baked beans. Since New England has an abundance
of fresh molasses, the traditional dish calls for it, instead of the maple
syrup I used here. Substitute a good store-bought molasses for the syrup if you
can find it.
Note: this is not a “saucy” dish. The
navy beans retain much of their light color with the sauce set on top. If you
want sauce that penetrates the dish to the bottom and covers the beans
throughout, increase the amount of ketchup, syrup, and Worcestershire sauce to
your liking.
season with salt and pepper.
Bring to a
boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the
beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves and drain the beans over a bowl,
reserving the cooking liquid.
Cooked Beans Preheat the
oven to 325° F.
Place half
the beans in an 8 X 8-inch, 2-qrt baking dish. Scatter half the chopped
pancetta and half the onion on top. Repeat with the remaining beans, chopped
pancetta, and onion.
1st Layer of the Beans Combine the
ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl
and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the
sauce over the beans and spread so that the top is covered. Add enough of the
reserved cooking liquid to reach the top edge of the beans. Lay the reserved
pancetta slices on top.
Sauce for the Beans Pancetta and Beans Ready to Bake Cover
tightly with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20
minutes, until the pancetta slices are browned and the top is set.
Baked Beans after 1 Hour Pancetta-Baked Beans
To serve, divide the baked beans in individual serving
bowls or alongside a main dish and serve hot or slightly cooled.
