Baked Beans A Family Recipe From Chef Patrick Oconnell

BAKED BEANS (A FAMILY RECIPE FROM CHEF PATRICK O'CONNELL)

Steps:

• Place beans in a 2 quart saucepan & cover with cool water.
• Soak overnight.
• Drain the beans.
• Cover with fresh salted water, and cook over medium heat until beans are just barely tender.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Stir sugar and bacon into beans with water and place in an oven-proof earthenware crock or bean pot.
• Top with butter and bake, uncovered, in oven for 3 hours.
• If top layer of beans begins to become too dry or begins to burn, cover pot with aluminum foil.
• Serves 4.

BAKED BEANS (A FAMILY RECIPE FROM CHEF PATRICK O'CONNELL)

Steps:

• Place beans in a 2 quart saucepan & cover with cool water.
• Soak overnight.
• Drain the beans.
• Cover with fresh salted water, and cook over medium heat until beans are just barely tender.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Stir sugar and bacon into beans with water and place in an oven-proof earthenware crock or bean pot.
• Top with butter and bake, uncovered, in oven for 3 hours.
• If top layer of beans begins to become too dry or begins to burn, cover pot with aluminum foil.
• Serves 4.

CHEF JOHN'S BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Soak navy beans overnight in a large bowl with enough water by several inches. Drain and place beans into a large Dutch oven or heavy pot with 6 cups water, baking soda, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, saving bean-cooking liquid.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Transfer beans into clean Dutch oven and stir bacon, onion, molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, salt, and black pepper into beans. Pour enough of the hot reserved bean liquid in to cover beans; stir.
• Cover Dutch oven and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check liquid level and add more of the reserved bean liquid to bring liquid up to cover beans. Return to oven and continue baking until beans are tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 1 hour.
• Raise oven heat to 350; bake beans uncovered in oven until top develops a flavorful crust, 20 to 30 more minutes.

THE BEST BARBECUE BAKED BEANS

Steps:

• Add dry beans to a bowl, cover with water, and let soak for 8 hours, or overnight.
• Drain beans and transfer to a large pot filled with 3 quarts of cold, fresh water. Add bay leaf, pork shoulder, and onion. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir. Skim off foam if desired. Let simmer until beans are just tender, about 1 hour.
• While beans simmer, combine barbecue sauce, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, mustard, Worcestershire, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, kosher salt, and garlic powder in a bowl with a whisk. Set aside until needed.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Transfer tender bean mixture to a deep, 15x10-inch baking dish using a spider strainer. Pour in barbecue sauce mixture and 2 ½ cups of the bean cooking liquid. Place bacon slices on top.
• Bake uncovered in the center of the preheated oven until the liquids have reduced into a thick sauce, 2 to 3 hours.