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Rustic Dutch oven filled with homemade baked beans in a rich mahogany sauce, featuring tender navy beans and pieces of caramelized bacon. Served on a wooden farmhouse table beside a slice of golden cornbread, with soft morning window light, a red-and-white checkered towel, and a small bowl of brown sugar in the background.
Jana Rae

Best Homemade Baked Beans (From Dried Beans)

Slow-baked homemade baked beans from dried beans with molasses, bacon, and a secret vinegar finish. The best baked beans you'll ever make.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Soak Time 8 hours
Total Time 11 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 285
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dried navy beans picked over and rinsed
  • 8 cups water for soaking
  • 4 cups water for cooking
  • 6 oz salt pork or bacon diced
  • 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup molasses not blackstrap
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar divided
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar final addition
  • Fresh parsley for garnish optional

Equipment

  • Large bowl (for soaking)
  • Large pot (for par-cooking)
  • Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot with lid
  • Cutting board and sharp knife
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Method
 

  1. Pick over and rinse dried beans. Place in a large bowl and cover with 8 cups water. Soak overnight for at least 8 hours.
  2. Drain soaked beans. Place in a large pot with 4 cups fresh water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve cooking liquid.
  3. Preheat oven to 300°F.
  4. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook diced salt pork or bacon until crispy, about 8 minutes. Transfer crispy pieces to a plate, leaving fat in pot.
  5. Add chopped onion to pot and cook in rendered fat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  6. Return crispy salt pork to pot. Add par-cooked beans. Add molasses, brown sugar, maple syrup, 1 tablespoon vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, smoked paprika (if using), and salt.
  7. Pour in enough reserved bean cooking liquid to just cover beans – about 2 to 3 cups. Stir gently to combine.
  8. Bring pot to a simmer on stovetop. Cover with lid and transfer to oven. Bake for 2 hours.
  9. Remove lid and bake uncovered for 1 more hour until sauce is thick and glossy.
  10. Remove from oven. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  11. Let beans rest for 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

These homemade baked beans are a project. They take time. But that time is mostly inactive – soaking overnight, baking for hours while you do other things. The result is beans that are creamy, smoky, sweet, tangy, and deeply satisfying.
Make a double batch. They freeze beautifully. And they truly are the best baked beans you have ever eaten.