Boston Baked Beans

Introduce

Chef :

Joanne

Boston Baked Beans

I felt like cooking something frugal the other day, and chose this classic traditional recipe from America, which inspired tinned baked beans. In the 1600s Boston's Puritans weren't allowed to cook on Sundays, so a crock of beans would be settled in the stoves on Saturday night to be eaten the next day. These home-cooked baked beans are completely different from tinned, but have the same comforting quality, served on toast and topped with grated cheese. I cooked these in a slow cooker, but you can also bake them in a low oven. You need to begin a night and a day in advance before you can eat the beans.

Ingredient

500 g (1 lb 2 oz)

white haricot beans, dried

400 g (14 oz)

piece pork belly

25 g (1 oz)

oft brown sugar

45 g (3 Tbsp)

black treacle or molasses

1 tsp

tomato puree

1 tbsp

English mustard or 2 tsp mustard powder

cloves

8-10

small shallots, peeled but left whole or 2-3 small onions, chopped

Cooking instructions

* Step 1

Pour the beans into a large bowl and cover with plenty of cold water. Cover and leave to soak overnight.

* Step 2

Drain and rinse the beans, then put in a pan, with fresh water to cover by about 5cm/2in. Bring to the boil and boil hard for at least 10 minutes. Transfer the beans and water to a slow cooker.

* Step 3

Cut the pork belly into large pieces and add to the beans, together with all the other ingredients, except the salt. It's important not to add salt until the beans are cooked, it makes the skin tough. Add plenty of black pepper though.

* Step 4

Cook for 8 hours in the the slow cooker, or for four hours in the oven on 140C/Gas 1, until tender. Half way through cooking time, when the beans are tender but the liquid is still being absorbed, add plenty of salt, taste to check there's enough.

* Step 5

The beans are cooked when they are completely soft and the liquid has turned into a lovely thick goo. Serve the beans hot, with sausages or baked potatoes or burgers, they would also go beautifully with baked ham. We had them on toast, topped with cheese. They freeze well, and there's lots, so divide into portions and freeze separately for quick and easy lunches.