Baked Beans from Scratch

Step 1

Cover the beans in 2-3 inches of water (more water than you think, they’ll soak a lot up!) and soak them overnight. They can soak for up to 24 hours, but no less than 12 hours

Step 2

Drain the beans and add them to a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer and allow to simmer for 2 hours, until softened.

Step 3

Drain the beans once again and set aside.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Step 5

In a large dutch oven or other oven-proof pot, add the diced bacon and cook until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon. Leave about 1-2 tbsp of bacon grease in the pot, but you can discard the rest.

Step 6

While the bacon is cooking, stir together the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.

Step 7

Add in the onion and garlic to the dutch oven and saute in the grease until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the beans and the bacon back in. Stir in the sauce and broth that you’ve mixed together. It’ll probably be quite liquidy at this point, but will thicken up significantly in the oven.

Step 8

Cover the pot and move it into the oven. Allow it to bake for at least 2-3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes to an hour or so.

Step 9

Once the beans are thickened and very tender, they’re ready to serve!