USA: Massachusetts - Boston Baked Beans

 

Another kind of baked beans, this time made with molasses and brown sugar. In the 18th century Boston was a big exporter of rum which was made by fermenting molasses. Molasses were locally added to baked beans creating the famous flavour of Boston baked beans.

Ingredients:

3 cups dry haricot beans

1/3 cup molasses/black treacle

1/3 cup brown sugar

3-4 tablespoons mustard

1 onion

3 cups hot water

350g pork or bacon or gammon

The beans need to be soaked in water overnight, so the night before you make them submerge them in a water bath and leave until the next day.

The next morning, drain the beans and set aside. Chop up the meat you're using into chunks about an inch by an inch. Place in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Tip the beans on top.

Chop the onion and add that on top of the beans. In a jug, measure out the molasses, mustard and brown sugar. Add a bit of hot water and stir well.

Pour this mixture over the beans and then top up with the rest of the hot water until the beans are just covered.

Cook on HIGH for 8 hours checking every couple of hours to stir and add more water if some has been absorbed. Continue to cook until the beans are tender then turn the setting to LOW until ready to eat.

These beans have a very deep flavour from the molasses which had also turned the pork a dark brown colour. There was a lovely thick, creamy sauce covering the beans without having to thicken them. We both enjoyed them and were pleased there were leftovers for breakfast the next day :)