I often cook Boston Baked Beans, for my kids when there friends come over for dinner, it is a healthy meal that the kids all enjoy.
It does need to be baked for a few hours, so I get it on as early as possible, so that I can get on with the rest of my day, or take the kids out for a long walk, so that they have worked up an appetite.
This Boston Baked Bean Recipe will serve 8.
700g Dried Haricot Beans, soaked overnight
450g Salt Pork or Bacon, cut into 2 pieces
2 Spanish Onions, finely chopped
50g Butter
2 Tsp Dry Mustard
4 Tbsps Black Treacle
4 Tbsps Soft Dark Brown Sugar
Salt and Pepper
4-6 Tbsps Tomato Ketchup
Drain the beans and place in a large saucepan. Cover the bens with twice their volume of water and bring to the boil, then simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.
Drain and reserve about 600ml of the cooking liquid.
Put the pork (or bacon) in another saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil; drain and slash the rind in several places with a sharp knife.
Place one piece of the pork into a deep casserole.
Heat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 1.
In a medium-sized saucepan fry the finely chopped onions in the butter until soft and golden.
Stir in the dry mustard, treacle, sugar, 1 tsp each of salt and pepper and the reserved cooking liquid.
Bring to the boil, stirring. Pour into the beans and mix well, then spoon over the first piece of pork in the casserole.
Push the remaining piece of pork into the casserole so that the rind remains above the surface.
Cover and bake for 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding more boiling water to prevent the beans from drying out.
Stir in the ketchup just before serving.
The kids always love it with home made crusty bread.
Simply click here to return to Healthy Kids Meals.
