Boston Baked Beans

Recipe View 8 hrs Soak the Beans: Place the navy beans in a large bowl, cover with cool water, and let soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours.

Recipe View 1 hrs Pre-cook the Beans: Drain the soaked beans and transfer them to a large saucepan. Add fresh water to cover the beans generously. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently until the beans are nearly tender, about 1 to 2 hours. Drain the beans, reserving approximately 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Recipe View 10 mins Prepare the Oven and Casserole: Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Choose a 2-quart casserole dish or Dutch oven.

Recipe View 15 mins Layer the Ingredients: Arrange half of the drained beans in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with half of the bacon strips and half of the diced onion. Repeat the layers with the remaining beans, bacon, and onion.

Recipe View 10 mins Make the Sauce: In a separate saucepan, combine the ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is smooth. Bring to a simmer.

Recipe View 15 mins Combine and Bake: Pour the sauce evenly over the layered beans in the casserole dish. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to just cover the beans. Cover the dish tightly with a lid or aluminum foil.

Recipe View 2 hrs Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the lid or foil and continue to bake, checking every 30 minutes and adding more reserved cooking liquid if necessary to keep the beans moist, for an additional 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the beans are very soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking.

Recipe View 10 mins Serve: Let the beans rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.