maine baked beans

Jackson, MI
Updated on Dec 8, 2013

While teaching in a one room schoolhouse off the coast of Maine, I became good friends with one of the lobster fisherman's wife. She passed on her version of baked beans. I serve it with either homemade steamed brown bread or cornbread (have posted both recipes). This is a favorite Saturday night meal along with apple pie for dessert.

prep time 30 Min
cook time 6 Hr
method Bake
yield 5-6 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 1 pound dried beans (jacob's cattle beans are the best)
  • 1 medium onion, quartered
  • 1/4 pound salt pork
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark molasses
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 tablespoon salt

How To Make maine baked beans

  • Step 1
    Rinse beans and pick over to make sure there are no stones. Place in large bowl and cover with water (at least 1" above beans). Let sit overnight.
  • Step 2
    In morning, parboil the beans until the skins crack when blown upon (maybe 10-15 minutes).
  • Step 3
    Cut onion into quarters and place in bottom of bean pot or a 4 quart casserole. Drain beans and pour over onion. Slice salt pork and lay on top of beans.
  • Step 4
    Mix sugar, molasses, mustard, pepper and salt with 2 cups of boiling water. Pour over pork and beans. If necessary, add more boiling water until beans are covered.
  • Step 5
    Bake, covered at 300 deg F for 6 hours, adding more boiling water as the beans cook (if necessary.
  • Step 6
    Serve with steamed brown bread or corn bread. NOTE: Beans can be cooked in crockpot but will be a bit more soupy. Not a bad thing. Just different. BEANS: Jacob's cattle beans are the best and I usually order 10# at a time online. They're worth it. May also use kidney beans, red beans or navy beans (my least favorite).

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