It took me until adulthood before I realized just how good baked beans are. It took me even longer to like Lima beans. This hearty baked Lima (or Navy) bean recipe, in a sweet molasses sauce is just so delicious and satisfying it will change your mind too!
HOMEMADE BAKED BEANS RECIPE
Preparation Time takes about 4 hours not including soaking time.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound dried Lima or Navy beans
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp. minced garlic (refrigerated kind works fine) (optional)
1/4 cup Maple syrup
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup Ketchup
2 T. prepared yellow mustard or honey mustard
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp pepper
4 slices of lean bacon – cut into 1″ pieces
SOAKING BEANS
OVERNIGHT SOAK:
Rinse and sort beans. In a large pot add 6-8 cups cold water. Let stand overnight or at least 6-8 hours. Drain soak water and rinse beans.
QUICK SOAK:
Rinse and sort beans. In a large pot add 8 cups hot water and 1/8 tsp. baking soda. Bring to rapid boil, boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand 1 hour. Drain soak water and rinse beans.
Directions for Cooking the beans after soaking:
Add 6 cups hot water, bay leaves, and garlic to drained and rinsed beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently with lid tilted until desired tenderness is reached, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Drain the beans and discard the bay leaves.
In a 2-quart baking dish or covered casserole, combine the syrup, molasses, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper. Add the drained beans and stir together. Lay the bacon pieces over top of beans. Cover and bake at 350º for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 40 more minutes. Stir bacon into beans before serving.
How to cook dried beans
Cooking dried beans do take a little time but it isn’t hard. And, most of the time isn’t hands-on. Allow them to simmer while you do other things. Check out this tutorial with step-by-step directions. Click How To Cook Dried Beans.
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A beautiful collage – and boy do those beans look tasty.
Lima beans huh??
Love the collage! Looks like it was a wonderful May.
I love baked beans but have always hated lima beans. They sure do look good in that picture though. Maybe with all the added ingredients they wouldn't taste so bad 🙂
A real 'people' based round up this month, lovely. Real home baked beans are so good, it's the canned ones that put people off.
May in review mosaic is so pretty. I love it.
Beautiful Collage ..and those baked beans look wonderful!!
I would have never thought to use lima beans like this. It sounds delicious! I too never liked lima beans until I was an adult- now I love them:)
I love your end of the month mosaic. It was a busy month!:)
Have a great day!
Linda
Good Morning dear friend! I always enjoy your end of month mosaic. Many years ago, I had beans similar to this at a Thanksgiving dinner. I have always wanted the recipe – thanks for sharing this one. I can't wait to try these.