Boston Baked Beans, Slow Cooker

also called baked beans · Boston beans · molasses baked beans · slow cooker baked beans · crockpot boston baked beans

Also written for Instant Pot (1 to wash), the plain way (4 to wash).

Three ways to read this recipe

The table

Boston Baked Beans, Slow Cooker: ingredients down the left, what to do with them across. Tap any cell to cross it off.
The beans are soaked overnight and boiled hard for half an hour first. Molasses and vinegar stall a hard bean forever
1 lb(450 g; soaked overnight)dried navy beansparboil 30 min, draincook on low, 8 hrreduce on high, lid off, 30 min
6 cups(1.4 L)water
1/3 cup(80 mL)molasseswhisk
1/4 cup(50 g)dark brown sugar
1 tspdry mustard
1 Tbscider vinegar
1 1/2 tspkosher salt
2 cups(475 mL)boiling water
6 oz(170 g; rind scored, buried in the middle)salt pork
1 medium(chopped)yellow onion
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.13 things to get out.

Pans and tools

Before anything else

2parboil 30 min, drain

3whisk

4cook on low, 8 hr

goes in with what steps 2 and 3 made

Cooking it

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

The clock

Start to finish
at least 9 hr1 of 4 steps gives no time
Needs you
about 30 min
If you get it wrong
Narrow — pull the beans before the skins split and the molasses that follows holds them chalky for the whole day on the machine
What you'll wash
Four things — the slow cooker crock, the saucepan, a colander to drain the beans, a jug to whisk the molasses liquid in
Does it keep
4 days — molasses beans keep improving, and a long wet cook leaves them loose enough to tighten to about right
  1. parboil 30 min, drain

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. whisk

    not timedfrom the start

  3. cook on low, 8 hr

    8 hrwalk away30 min in

  4. reduce on high, lid off, 30 min

    30 minneeds you(we think)8 hr 30 min in

You'll need saucepan · slow cooker

See how it is written
>> title: Boston Baked Beans, Slow Cooker
>> category: Rice, Beans & Grains
>> tags: beans, molasses, salt pork, new england, slow cooker, crock pot
>> counters: The Slow Cooker
>> dish: boston-baked-beans
>> kit: Slow Cooker
>> aka: baked beans, Boston beans, molasses baked beans, slow cooker baked beans, crockpot boston baked beans
>> servings: 8
>> time: 9 hr
>> slack: narrow — pull the beans before the skins split and the molasses that follows holds them chalky for the whole day on the machine
>> washing-up: the slow cooker crock, the saucepan, a colander to drain the beans, a jug to whisk the molasses liquid in
>> keeps: 4 days — molasses beans keep improving, and a long wet cook leaves them loose enough to tighten to about right

The beans are soaked overnight and boiled hard for half an hour first. Molasses and vinegar stall a hard bean forever.

>> step: parboil 30 min, drain
Simmer @dried navy beans{1%lb}(450 g; soaked overnight) in @water{6%cups}(1.4 L) in a #saucepan{} for ~simmer{30%min}, until the skins split when you blow on a spoonful, then drain.

>> step: whisk
Whisk @molasses{1/3%cup}(80 mL), @dark brown sugar{1/4%cup}(50 g), @dry mustard{1%tsp}, @cider vinegar{1%Tbs}, @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp} into @boiling water{2%cups}(475 mL).

>> step: cook on low, 8 hr
Slow cook @&(~2)parboiled beans{} with @&(~1)molasses liquid{}, @salt pork{6%oz}(170 g; rind scored, buried in the middle), @yellow onion{1%medium}(chopped) in a #slow cooker{} on low for ~slow cook{8%hr}, lid on.

>> step: reduce on high, lid off, 30 min
Reduce @&(~1)beans{} on high with the lid off for ~reduce{30%min}, until the liquid is a syrup that holds the trail of a spoon for a second.