🫘 Homemade Boston Baked Beans
Real Ingredients, No Chemicals!
📌 In This Article
🫘 The Homemade Beans Story
"Folks have asked why we can so much. Well, here we have 18 jars of homemade Boston baked beans. The same recipe my mother made so long ago. No extra preservatives or unwanted chemicals. Straight up real ingredients. There is so much that you can 'can' with the good stuff in it. We know what is in these jars, unlike what you buy in the commercial market."
There is a profound sense of satisfaction that comes from looking at a shelf full of jars you filled yourself. When people ask, "Why do you can so much?" the answer is simple: Control, quality, and tradition.
This recipe is a direct link to the past—the same Boston Baked Beans recipe passed down from a mother who knew how to feed a family right. No high-fructose corn syrup, no artificial colors, and no chemical preservatives.
Just real, wholesome ingredients pressure-canned into 18 jars of pure, comforting goodness. You know exactly what is in every single bite.
💬 The verdict: "We know what is in these jars, unlike what you buy in the commercial market." — The best reason to can your own.
💪 Why Can Your Own Beans?
Real Food on the Shelf!
🥓"Straight up real ingredients."
No Chemicals
Just real food
Saves Money
Pennies per jar
Family Recipe
Straight from Mom
Homemade always tastes better.
📦 Ingredients
This is the classic, old-fashioned way to make Boston Baked Beans.
🫘 For the Baked Beans
- 🫘 2 lbs dried Navy beans
- 🧅 2 large onions – chopped
- 🥓 1 lb salt pork or bacon – cut into chunks
- 🍯 1 cup molasses
- 🍚 ½ cup brown sugar – packed
- 🌽 2 tbsp yellow mustard – or dry mustard powder
- 🧂 2 tsp salt
- 💧 Water or broth – for covering
🫙 For the Jars
- 🫙 Pint or quart jars
- 🧴 New lids and rings
💡 Pro tip: "Soak the beans overnight first. It softens them up so they cook evenly in the jar."
📝 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Prepare the Beans
- Rinse the navy beans and pick out any stones or debris.
- Place them in a large pot and cover with water. Let them soak overnight.
- Drain and rinse the beans.
- Cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes just to slightly soften them. (They will finish cooking in the canner).
Step 2 – Mix the Sauce
- In a large bowl or pot, mix the molasses, brown sugar, mustard, and salt with a little water to create a sauce.
Step 3 – Layer and Fill Jars
- Add a few chunks of salt pork/bacon and a spoonful of onions to the bottom of each hot jar.
- Fill the jars about ¾ full with the partially cooked beans.
- Pour the molasses sauce over the beans.
- Top off with boiling water or broth, leaving 1 inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles with a bubble remover.
- Wipe rims clean with a damp cloth.
- Add lids and rings — finger-tight.
⚠️ Important: "Leave 1 inch headspace — the beans will absorb liquid and expand during processing."
Step 4 – Pressure Can
- Place jars in your pressure canner with 2-3 inches of water.
- Seal the canner and bring to 10 lbs pressure.
- Process pints for 65 minutes or quarts for 75 minutes.
- Adjust for altitude if necessary.
⚠️ Important Safety Warning
Baked beans with meat MUST be pressure canned. Water bath canning is NOT safe for beans containing meat or low-acid ingredients. The temperature needs to reach 240°F to kill pathogens.
Step 5 – Cool and Store
- Allow pressure to naturally release to 0 PSI.
- Remove jars and cool on a dishtowel for 24 hours.
- Check seals — the lid should be concave and not flex.
- Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Can I water bath can baked beans?
NO! Because they contain meat (salt pork/bacon) and are low-acid, they must be pressure canned to be safe.
❓ Can I use a different type of bean?
Navy beans are traditional for Boston Baked Beans, but you can also use great northern beans or soldier beans.
❓ Do I have to use molasses?
Yes, molasses is the defining ingredient for Boston Baked Beans. It gives them their distinct dark color and rich, slightly smoky sweetness.
❓ Why did my beans turn out too dry?
You may not have added enough liquid before canning, or they absorbed more than expected. You can always add a little water or broth when you heat them up to serve.
❓ How long do they last?
Properly pressure-canned baked beans will last for 1 year or more on the shelf.
📄 Printable Recipe Card
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║ HOMEMADE BOSTON BAKED BEANS ║
║ Real Ingredients, No Chemicals! ║
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YIELD: ~18 pints | TIME: ~3 hours | PROCESS: 65 min (pints)
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INGREDIENTS
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- 2 lbs dried Navy beans
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 lb salt pork or bacon, cut into chunks
- 1 cup molasses
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp salt
- Water or broth for covering
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INSTRUCTIONS
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1. Soak beans overnight. Drain, cover with fresh water,
and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Mix molasses, brown sugar, mustard, and salt.
3. Add pork and onions to bottom of hot jars.
4. Fill jars ¾ full with beans. Pour sauce over beans.
5. Top with boiling water/broth, leaving 1 inch headspace.
6. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rims. Add lids and rings.
7. PRESSURE CAN:
- Pints: 65 minutes at 10 lbs pressure
- Quarts: 75 minutes at 10 lbs pressure
8. Cool, check seals, and store.
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"We know what is in these jars." 🫘🥓
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© CanningRebels — Homemade Boston Baked Beans
Comments
Do I have to add any meat ? I prefer not to , will it be a problem??
ReplyDelete