

Maggie Beer

Boston baked beans

Boston Baked Beans

Boston baked beans

Step 1: Drain and rinse beans, then place in a large saucepan, cover with water and slowly bring to the boil. Simmer gently over low heat (use a simmer mat if necessary) for 45 minutes or until just tender, then drain and leave to cool.

Step 2: In a small bowl, combine mustard powder and one tablespoon of water to make a paste, then stir in the treacle and brown sugar.

Step 3: Preheat fan-forced oven to 140°C (285°F).

Step 4: Insert one clove into each onion half, then place in a large, ovenproof heavy-based saucepan, casserole or deep frying pan with smoked pork belly, bay leaves and a splash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step 5: Add tomatoes and mustard mixture and stir to combine. Add reserved beans, then cover with a tight fitting lid, or foil, and bake for 1½–2 hours or until beans are tender, stirring occasionally.

Step 6: Stir in the Aged Red Wine Vinegar, cover and cook for a further 30 minutes, then season to taste with salt and pepper and stir through the mint. Taste, and if you find that the beans are too sweet, add a little more Aged Red Wine Vinegar before serving.

Maggie's Tip: The exact cooking time of this dish will depend on the quality and age of the beans used; it can take around four hours for the beans to become tender.


  1. 500g cannelini beans soaked overnight in plenty of cold water
  2. 2 tbspn mustard powder (I like to use Keen's)
  3. 60ml 1/4 cup treacle
  4. 45g 1/4 cup soft brown sugar
  5. 1 large onion halved
  6. 100g smoked pork belly rind removed and cut into large pieces
  7. 400g 2 tins chopped tomatoes
  8. 1/2 tspn salt flakes to taste
  9. 1/2 tspn freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  10. 1 tbspn mint chopped

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