Home Canned Boston Style Beans

Myrna and I both grew up eating Boston Style or “Molasses" Baked Beans.  The brand we were used to isn't available around here anymore, so when someone gave me some extra dry beans, I had to try this recipe.  I did find salt pork locally and bought some to use, you can also use ham or chunks of bacon.  I used the beans in molasses sauce from a recipe in the "Better Homes and Gardens Canning Book  1973" but needed almost twice as much sauce as their recipe called for.  That is closer to other recipes I found on the internet, but we like this one that uses some brown sugar - it is tasty and less expensive.  I am giving the sauce amounts I have found that I need.
I keep these on hand; the recipe calls for pints, after the first time, I started canning them in half-pints (for the same time); so the two of us didn't have any leftovers.  We often eat them with sandwiches instead of fatty chips, they don't need any "doctoring" to be excellent.

I like canning beans – no peeling, pitting or chopping!  I like home canning – as I know where my ingredients come from! 

                  

                            Boston Style Beans

 2           Pounds  Navy Beans -- 4 cups

  6           Quarts  Cold Water

  2           Teaspoons  Salt

     2/3    cup  Molasses

     2/3    cup  Brown Sugar -- packed

     1/4    Cup  Vinegar

  2           teaspoons  Dry Mustard

  1           teaspoon  Salt
  5           Cups Reserved Bean-soaking Liquid

     1/4    Pound  Salt Pork -- cut in 14 cubes

7 pint jars, lids and rings

1. Rinse beans; add to 4 quarts cold water in an 8-10 quart kettle.  Bring to boiling; simmer 2 minutes.  Remove from heat; cover and let navy beans stand 1 hour.
2. Add the 2 teaspoons salt to beans and soaking water; cover and bring to boiling.  Drain, reserving 5 cups of the liquid. (If you can’t get 5 cups, add water).
3. In a large saucepan combine the 5 cups of reserved soaking liquid, molasses, brown sugar, vinegar, dry mustard and the teaspoon of salt.  Cover and bring to boiling; simmer 5-10 minutes.  Keep sauce hot.
4. Divide hot beans into hot jars, filling jars 3/4 full (around 1 1/2 cups each).  Add 2 pieces of salt pork to drained beans.  Fill jars with hot molasses sauce; leave 1 inch headspace.  Remove bubbles.
5. Adjust lids prepared according to manufacturers instructions.  Process in pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for 65 minutes for pints (75 minutes for quarts Above 1000' can at 15 pounds pressure).

 (Times from nchfp.uga.edu)  Recipe adapted from "Better Homes and Gardens Canning Book  1973"

Equipment needed: 8 quart stock pot for beans, 3 quart pot for sauce, 10 quart or larger Pressure canner, small saucepan for lids, jar lifter, plastic knife or tool for removing bubbles, lid magnet, strainer to drain beans, slotted spoon, and ladle. Pan with cloth or paper towels for filling jars.  Tray or two with folded towels for setting cooling jars. 7 each pint jars, flat canning lids and rings.

2014 Cost:  $4.68 or 67¢ per pint if using purchased beans and salt pork.

  "7 Pint Jars"