Tinned baked beans are a staple part of the British diet, enjoyed at all ages and at all times of the day, from a quick breakfast to a late-night cheese-covered snack. And a big part of the joy of baked beans is how easy and convenient they are – just open the tin and there you go! However, it only takes a few simple ingredients to make your own from scratch, so if you’ve ever wondered what homemade baked beans would taste like – read on to find out.
What is the history of baked beans?
Tinned baked beans are a tomatoey spin on an American classic – Boston baked beans. This sweet, slow-cooked bean dish doesn’t involve any tomatoes, but it does involve lots of sugar, in the form of molasses. New England had a surplus of molasses and ready access to New World beans like haricot beans, so it’s no surprise that the two were put together.
However, it’s thought that the history of baked beans could go back even further. A great deal of information about pre-colonisation indigenous foodways has been lost, but it’s thought that local tribes around Massachusetts enjoyed slow-cooked beans with maple syrup, cooked in the ground in clay pots.
How are tinned baked beans made?
Despite the name, tinned ‘baked’ beans are actually cooked in the can. No baking involved! The haricot beans are par-cooked, mixed with all the other ingredients in the cans, sealed and pressure cooked. The biggest baked bean factory in the world is in Wigan, and produces over 3 million cans each day.
What sort of beans are used in baked beans?
While the UK has some native pulses – like Carlin peas, fava beans, green peas – the haricot beans used in baked beans come from the Americas. Baked bean factories in the UK still import their dried beans from the USA.
What’s the difference between Boston baked beans and British baked beans?
As demonstrated by the Townsends YouTube channel, the ingredients in Boston baked beans are incredibly simple: beans, molasses, salt pork, mustard, onion, salt and pepper. There’s no spices other than the mustard and the pepper, and no vegetables other than the onion. They’re also definitely not vegetarian!
The British tinned version was invented by Henry Heinz. Heinz brought some of his tins to the UK in 1896, where they were initially only available in Fortnum & Mason. British baked beans are now vegetarian, but they initially contained pork – which was only taken out during World War II. The addition of tomato is something of a mystery – it’s definitely not a traditional part of the Boston recipe for baked beans. However, it has always been present in British baked beans, and balances out the sweetness of baked beans nicely.
How to cook baked beans
Tinned beans often have a firming agent in them which means they don’t soften much in the oven. However, beans cooked from scratch can easily go the other way, tipping from tender into mushy. For this recipe we’d recommend using beans cooked from scratch which are just a little chalky in the middle. But, if you use very soft beans, it’s not the end of the world – some of them will just break down and thicken the sauce towards the end of the time in the oven, so you might need to add more water.
Metric
Imperial
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 onion, about 125g, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, 85g, finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, 80g, finely chopped
- 1 400g tin of chopped tomato, or 400g passata
- 500g of cooked white beans, ideally navy beans
- 2 tsp molasses, or brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder, optional
- salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas mark 3
Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a lidded, ovenproof pan
Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened, then add a pinch of salt and cook for 5 more minutes
Add in the chopped tomatoes or passata. Half fill the tin with water to swish out the last few bits of tomato, and then add this (about 200 g) to the pan as well
Add the beans, then stir to combine, then turn up the heat and bring to a simmer
Add the remaining seasonings, including plenty of salt and pepper, then taste the sauce. Adjust the seasoning to taste, bearing in mind that the sauce will reduce and concentrate in the oven
Bake for 45 minutes in the oven. After 45 minutes stir, adding more water if necessary, and then bake for a final 15 minutes
Serve over toast, jacket potatoes or any other way you like your beans
Can you freeze baked beans?
Baked beans freeze really well, so it’s worth making a batch. Simply freeze in small portions in airtight containers. They won’t go off in the freezer for a very long time, but they might get some freezer burn after 6 months, so it’s best to eat them by then.
What can you serve with baked beans?
Tinned baked beans are generally served with other quick, simple foods – toast, jacket potatoes, a pile of chips. These homemade ones are no different – we love them with a side of sausages – but they’re tasty enough to serve with something a little fancier too. Maybe serve it with some barbecue, like they do in the states, or some lemony roast chicken? It’s also nice with some homemade boxty or soda bread.
Get in touch
Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.
