Pancetta Baked Beans

Baked beans aren’t just for summertime picnics and tailgate parties. This tender, creamy, slightly sweet dish makes a tasty side for any dinner, any time of year. Pancetta adds bacony flavor and balances the sweetness of the sauce.

This recipe is based on traditional Boston baked beans. Since New England has an abundance of fresh molasses, the traditional dish calls for it, instead of the maple syrup I used here. Substitute a good store-bought molasses for the syrup if you can find it.

Note: This is not a “saucy” dish. The navy beans retain much of their light color with the sauce set on top. If you want sauce that penetrates the dish to the bottom and covers the beans throughout, increase the amount of ketchup, syrup, and Worcestershire sauce to your liking.

Serves 5-6

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried navy beans
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 oz very thinly sliced pancetta, 5 slices reserved, remainder chopped
• 1 small onion, cut into thin, vertical strips
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Sliced and Chopped Pancetta

Preparation

1. Place the beans in a pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes, cover, and let soak 1 hour. Drain and rinse.

Soaked Beans

1. Return the beans to the pot and add 4 cups of water. Stir in the oregano and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 to 1-1/4 hours, until the beans are tender. Remove the bay leaves and drain the beans over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid.

Cooked Beans

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. Place half the beans in an 8 X 8-inch, 2-qrt baking dish. Scatter half the chopped pancetta and half the onion on top. Repeat with the remaining beans, chopped pancetta, and onion.

1st Layer of the Beans

1. Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, maple syrup, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the sauce over the beans and spread so that the top is covered. Add enough of the reserved cooking liquid to reach the top edge of the beans. Lay the reserved pancetta slices on top.

Sauce for the Beans 

Pancetta and Beans Ready to Bake

1. Cover tightly with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until the pancetta slices are browned and the top is set.

Baked Beans after 1 Hour 

Pancetta-Baked Beans

To serve, divide the baked beans into individual serving bowls or alongside a main dish and serve hot or slightly cooled.