Homemade Baked Beans

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring the dried beans, salt and 2 quarts of the water to a boil. Boil for two minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand for one hour. Drain the beans, and discard the liquid. Editor’s Tip: Soaking beans in salted water takes time, but it's worth it. The beans will cook faster and more evenly. We use the quick-soak method here, but you could soak the beans overnight if you prefer.

Return the drained beans to the saucepan. Cover the beans with the remaining 2 quarts water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours or until beans are tender. Drain, reserving the liquid. Editor’s Tip: You might be tempted to throw everything in the pot together, but hold fast. Dried beans won’t become soft and tender if they’re cooked with acidic ingredients like molasses.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Return the drained beans to the saucepan. Stir in 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, onion, molasses, bacon, brown sugar, mustard and pepper. Pour the mixture into a greased 2-1/2 quart baking dish.

Cover the dish, and bake for 3 hours to 3 hours and 30 minutes or until the beans reach the desired consistency, stirring occasionally and adding more reserved cooking liquid if needed. Editor’s Tip: Baked beans will get thicker the longer they cook. If you accidentally tossed the reserved cooking liquid, use water or broth to thin the baked beans.