Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans recipe is a classic favorite that has been passed down for generations.
Made with a unique blend of spices and seasonings, this recipe will bring out the sweet and savory flavors of the beans.
The slow cooking process creates a rich, hearty dish that is sure to please.
The ingredients are very simple, but if you are looking for inspiration to try it out for yourself, read on to learn more about what goes into making Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe.
What ingredients does Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe call for?
Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe requires very simple ingredients for a balanced and delicious dish.
This recipe has been passed down for generations and is still one of the most popular recipes on Food Network.
It’s a classic comfort food that can be enjoyed anytime of the year.
When you are looking for some new ideas to try in the kitchen, Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe is a great place to start.
The ingredients include:
- Dried beans
- Brown sugar
- Celery salt (optional)
- Cider vinegar
How long does it take to prepare Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe?
Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans recipe is a simple one to prepare.
It only takes about 30 minutes to simmer the beans in water, mix and brown the meat and serve them up as a rich and savory side dish.
The real time-saver comes from not having to stay in the kitchen when the beans are cooking.
You can let this dish cook alone while you do other things.
Have your kids help you create decorations for your dessert or let them experiment with their favorite recipes in the kitchen.
What temperature should the oven be set to when baking Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe?
When baking baked beans, the temperature of the oven should be set to simmer.
In other words, an oven temperature of 190 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.
While most recipes tell you to bake beans in a slow cooker on low heat for 8-10 hours, Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans recipe recommends cooking them on the stovetop with a bit more spice than you might be used to.
According to Brown, her recipe calls for slowly cooking the beans on high heat for four hours, then adding water to reduce by half before turning the heat down and finishing off the cooking process with a slow simmer for another six hours.
The final result is an amazingly rich flavor and hearty dish that never fails to please.
Does Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe have any special instructions?
While the ingredients are very simple, there are still a few important tips you should know.
The first is to make sure the baking dish has room for the beans to spread out.
If the oven has too much space, be sure to add more beans or spread them out on the baking sheet.
Secondly, you should check the temperature of the beans when you are ready to add them to the oven.
For faster cooking times, most recipes recommend setting your oven temperature as low as 200 degrees Fahrenheit — that won’t reach that ideal boiling point?
Prepare a small dish of water in which to soak the beans before cooking.
You can also use a colander or strainer to separate the cooked and uneaten beans from the cooking liquid, which will help remove any excess salt or water.
Does Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe include any herbs or spices?
Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans recipe includes the following ingredients:
- Ground pork
- Diced onions
- Diced celery
- Sugar
As mentioned, these are fairly simple and easy to find anywhere.
The ground pork is easily purchased, as well.
With that in mind, if you don’t happen to have any on hand, you can always go to a butcher to purchase it instead.
Bacon, as well, is also a suitable substitute for ground pork.
The other two ingredients may be more challenging to find.
If you don’t live near a grocery store or butcher shop with fresh produce, you can always purchase canned or frozen diced onions and celery.
If you know of a farmer’s market or farmer who sells fresh produce year-round, using those ingredients can really make your meal pop?
Is there anything else that can be added to Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe to enhance the flavor?
As with all recipes that come out of the American South, Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans recipe is a very simple one.
The only ingredients you will find listed in this recipe are brown beans, molasses, and brown sugar.
This recipe has taken on new properties in the modern era, though.
Thanks to the popularity of an increasingly jam-happy America, we have seen some adaptations over time to make this dish fit into our modern life, though.
While I wouldn’t recommend adding any extra ingredients to the recipe itself, here are some things that can be added to it to enhance its flavor and complexity:
- Dried herbs and spices can be added to give the beans a more robust flavor. While most cooks don’t buy dried herbs and spices, they are available in bulk form from many spice distributors. It is possible to add these directly to the beans while they are cooking.
- Fancy seasonings would also work well in this dish. There’s no need for any additional salt or pepper when using these seasonings, as they typically have enough of these two ingredients working with them.
- In addition to salt and pepper, herbs and spices can be used to enhance other flavors as well. Some people add things like hot sauce or cayenne pepper to their foods simply because they want a spicy kick at the end of a meal. Hot sauce is a common choice for many baked beans recipes, but it is not necessary for this one.
If your family enjoys the extra kick from such additions, feel free to try adding them at your own discretion?
How long should Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe be cooked?
The cooking time for Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe depends on where you live.
Cook the recipe for at least two hours and up to four hours, or as long as you like, in your slow cooker.
Cooking time varies depending on your slow cooker and also the type of beans you are using.
If you have a heavy-duty slow cooker, allow an extra 30 minutes to cook.
Is there a way to make Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe healthier?
The biggest health concern with this recipe is the amount of sugar it contains.
With over 20 grams of sugar in just 1 cup of the beans, it’s easy to see why this is such a popular dish.
The first thing to do is to cut down on the sugar content by using a less sugary and more whole grain-rich sweetener.
Here are some sugar alternatives that you can use to cut down on the sugar that’s going into your Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans recipe:
- Truvia: A natural sweetener, Truvia is available in packets measuring 1/4 teaspoon at a time. It’s a great choice for baking as it has a sweet taste and does not add any additional calories or carbohydrates.
- Xylitol: Xylitol is another natural sweetener that can be used in a variety of recipes. It tastes much like honey but does not have any calories or carbohydrates.
- Agave Nectar: Similar to honey, agave nectar has a mild but slightly sweet taste and is perfect for baking because it does not affect the texture or color of baked goods. Because it also comes from nature, agave nectar has been shown to be beneficial for blood glucose levels.
Does Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe require any precooking or prebaking steps?
Precooking beans isn’t necessary, but it does help the beans to cook more evenly and quickly.
If you plan on serving the recipe while they still have the skin on, preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
Once the oven is warm, put the beans in a single layer in an oven-safe dish.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until they are tender.
Is there any variation to Grandma Brown’s Baked Beans Recipe that can be used to make it more interesting?
There is not much variation to this recipe, as the ingredients are pretty simple.
However, you can always add some toast or a salad to go with it.
You can also buy precooked beans, but if you want the full experience that makes these beans so special, then try making them the old-fashioned way.
Equipment
- 1 Oven
- 1 Stockpot
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried navy beans
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 tbsp yellow mustard
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 6 tbsp molasses
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups reserved cooking liquid
- 12 oz bacon cooked and chopped
Instructions
- 8 hours of soaking beans in a quart of water with 2 teaspoons of salt. After soaking, rinse the beans and boil them for approximately an hour, or until they are creamy inside, in a big stockpot with 2 quarts of water and 1 tsp of salt.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375°F after the beans are finished cooking.
- Beans should be taken off the heat. Drain the cooking liquid, then set it aside. Beans should be put back in the stockpot. If the cooking liquid is less than 1 12 cups, add water to create the required 1 12 cups before adding the bacon, yellow mustard, ketchup, molasses, salt, and pepper to the beans. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish after stirring to mix.
- The beans should be placed in the preheated oven with tin foil covering them. With the lid off, cook for an extra 15 minutes after cooking for 45 minutes with it on. The sauce will have mainly reduced by this time. Serve the beans after taking them out of the oven.
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Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.