Boston Baked Beans, Instant Pot

also called instant pot baked beans · pressure cooker baked beans · no soak baked beans · instant pot boston baked beans · Boston beans · molasses baked beans

Also written for Slow Cooker (4 to wash), the plain way (4 to wash).

The table

A bean pot is doing flavour work this cannot copy. Here is what you get instead, and what you give up.
1 lb(450 g; dry, not soaked)dried navy beanscook the navy beans from dry — 30 min at high pressurewait out the natural release 20 minstir the molasses in now, not before — 10 min at high pressurewait out the natural release 10 minreduce lid off 15 min until it holds
5 cups(1.2 L)water
6 oz(170 g; rind scored)salt pork
1 medium(chopped)yellow onion
1/3 cup(80 mL)molasses
1/4 cup(50 g)dark brown sugar
1 tspdry mustard
1 Tbscider vinegar
1 1/2 tspkosher salt
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.11 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2cook the navy beans from dry — 30 min at high pressure

4stir the molasses in now, not before — 10 min at high pressure

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
1 hr 25 min
Needs you
about 15 minthe rest you can walk away from
If you get it wrong
Unforgiving — a bean held chalky by acid stays chalky however long the machine runs, and under the lid you cannot taste one to find out
What you'll wash
One thing — the Instant Pot
Does it keep
4 days — molasses beans improve for days; they tighten as they sit and want a splash of water

  1. cook the navy beans from dry — 30 min at high pressure

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. wait out the natural release 20 min

    20 minwalk away30 min in

  3. stir the molasses in now, not before — 10 min at high pressure

    10 minwalk away50 min in

  4. wait out the natural release 10 min

    10 minwalk away1 hr in

  5. reduce lid off 15 min until it holds

    15 minneeds you(we think)1 hr 10 min in

You'll need Instant Pot

See how it is written
>> title: Boston Baked Beans, Instant Pot
>> category: Rice, Beans & Grains
>> tags: beans, molasses, salt pork, new england, instant pot, pressure cooker, no soak
>> counters: Instant Pot
>> aka: instant pot baked beans, pressure cooker baked beans, no soak baked beans, instant pot boston baked beans, Boston beans, molasses baked beans
>> servings: 8
>> dish: boston-baked-beans
>> kit: Instant Pot
>> time: 1 hr 55 min
>> slack: unforgiving — a bean held chalky by acid stays chalky however long the machine runs, and under the lid you cannot taste one to find out
>> washing-up: the Instant Pot
>> keeps: 4 days — molasses beans improve for days; they tighten as they sit and want a splash of water

>> step: A bean pot is doing flavour work this cannot copy. Here is what you get instead, and what you give up.
Five hours in a bean pot is not five hours of waiting.

>> step: cook the navy beans from dry — 30 min at high pressure
Put @dried navy beans{1%lb}(450 g; dry, not soaked) into the #Instant Pot{} with @water{5%cups}(1.2 L), @salt pork{6%oz}(170 g; rind scored) and @yellow onion{1%medium}(chopped), lock the lid and ~pressure cook{30%min} at high pressure.

>> step: wait out the natural release 20 min
Let @&(~1)pot{} ~natural release{20%min} until the pin drops.

>> step: stir the molasses in now, not before — 10 min at high pressure
Stir @molasses{1/3%cup}(80 mL), @dark brown sugar{1/4%cup}(50 g), @dry mustard{1%tsp}, @cider vinegar{1%Tbs} and @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp} into @&(~1)beans{}, lock the lid again and ~pressure cook{10%min}.

>> step: wait out the natural release 10 min
Let @&(~1)pot{} ~natural release{10%min}, then open it.

>> step: reduce lid off 15 min until it holds
Reduce @&(~1)beans{} on Sauté with the lid off ~reduce{15%min}, stirring now and then, until the liquid is a syrup that holds the trail of a spoon for a second.