We had this discussion in December. if you go to the bottom of the page to the search box and type in baked beans, Marilyn Sue's post will come up. How do you make your baked beans. Lots of recipes there.

WOW! I just started making my homemade baked beans, again.
They are soooo good! I make mine in a bean pot, a covered bean pot... I think the size and shape of it have a lot to do with how good the beans will come out. If you don't have a bean pot you must have a covered container. My bean pot holds two 1(one) lb packages of navy beans and that is what I would normally use.. but we are in a different house with a new to us oven and I started with just using one package (1 lb) and they came out fantastic.... they will seem too thin if you eat them on the same day that you have made them if you only cook them for the 5 hrs. An overnight in the fridge makes them perfect the next day! Long way of saying oven has lots to do with it.

This is my Moms recipe... we had homemade baked beans every week growing up. It is her bean pot!

1. 1 lb package of navy beans
2. 1 lb of Salt Pork (NOT fatback)
3. 1 lb box of dark brown sugar
4. 3 Tbs. of Molasses
5. 1 large quartered onion
6. 3 Tbs. of mustard (can use dry or use a grainy or Dijon type mustard)

Place dry beans in bean pot, cover with cold water, soak overnight. Alternatively, if short on time... cover beans with cold water, bring to boil for 2 minutes, turn off heat and let sit for 1 hour. Boil again for 2 minutes)

After either, above, method, drain and rinse, rinse, rinse beans! It is very important to rinse off that liquid.

Place 1/2 of beans in bean pot, add large dice salt pork, quartered onion and cover with cold water. Add brown sugar, molasses and mustard. Cover beans and bake in 325 oven for 5 hours, checking to make sure that beans stay (just) covered with water... if water is low, add more and give beans a stir from the bottom up.

I either cook longer (maybe an hour, maybe more, really depends on your oven, just last night for 1 hour.. came out great.. but, still, even better the next day after fridge) or refrigerate to use the next day so that they are just right.. I like the beans to be coated and the bean "juice" to be somewhat thickish. You will know by looking at them that they are "right".

If I use 2 lbs of dried beans, I only double the sugar. Mustard, molasses and salt pork amounts remain the same. Onion, too. Never more molasses, they will come out "tacky".

The house smells heavenly when they are cooking! And they aren't ready until they are ready! No bites till done!

Enjoy!

Sea

I've done Paula Deen's baked beans with pineapple.

Look it up using the wording I typed.

It is really tasty. Told friend about it and she took it to our last potluck luncheon and everyone loved it.

I took it to a "get to know" group I was going on a trip with. Everyone enjoyed!

seashellsandpearls? I have a question about the amount of brown sugar that you are using. Is that the correct amount as it seems like a very huge amount especially if you are using 2 lbs of navy beans and you said to double the sugar. That much would just about fill my bean crock without the other ingredients. I think I only use two tbsp. and a 1/2 cup of molasses with two lbs of beans.

Yup! That is the correct amount. I use the 2 lb bag of dark brown sugar...for 2 lbs of dried beans. The sugar dissolves. So, you should have plenty of room in your bean crock. You can use less if you want.. but I would never use such a small amount as 2 tbs. I prefer the sugar to molasses ratio to be heavier on the sugar. Too much molasses makes them tacky and hard. Try the recipe using just one (1 lb) box of sugar with just 3 Tbs. of molasses.

Sea

Paula Deen's Baked Beans

4 (16-ounce) cans baked beans
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup molasses
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 tablespoon yellow or brown mustard
5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1 (16-ounce) can french-fried onions, crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In large bowl, mix together beans, pineapple, molasses, BBQ sauce, mustard, bacon, and a third of the onions. Add some salt and pepper, to taste. Pour beans in 9 by 13-inch casserole dish and sprinkle remaining crushed onions and bacon on top. Cook in oven for 1 hour or until beans brown and bubble. Serve warm.

I make mine from the can pork & beans (I use campbells)
just add some ketchup, onion, green pepper, brown sugar, and whatever else you like and bake them till done, 30-45 min.

My recipe came from the actor Gregg Morris from the Mission Impossible T.V. show. He was on some talk show back in the 70's or 80'sand was making his mom's baked beans. They are very good. You'll find the recipe in Marilyn Sue's post from December.......How Do You Make Your Baked Beans.