Growing up, my family always chose canned baked yellow eye beans for Saturday night beans. They have a soft, creamy texture and have long been a state of Maine favorite—my grandfather, a chef, cooked them in the ground! B & M used to sell them in cans, but it’s difficult to find them now. However, Bar Harbor Foods produces a vegetarian version. You can find dry yellow eye beans online and in stores in some areas. I prefer them to navy beans for New England style molasses baked beans.
What to Serve With Baked Beans
- Bread: Steamed canned brown bread is excellent with beans, or serve them with buttered toast or cornbread.
- Meat: Choose hot dogs, ham, steaks, chops, or pulled pork.
- Side Dishes: Coleslaw adds a tangy contrast to the sweet molasses flavor. Or serve them with a side salad or sliced fresh vegetables.
Baked Yellow Eye Beans
Enjoy a New England baked bean dinner with Maine’s favorite yellow eye beans!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Beans
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: New England
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound yellow eye beans (about 2 1/4 cups)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 2 strips bacon, diced
- 4 ounces salt pork, sliced
- 3 tablespoons molasses
- 1/teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Beans
- Rinse the beans and pick them over. Discard any malformed or damaged beans and look for small pebbles.
- Place the beans in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the beans from the heat and let stand for 1 hour. If you prefer an overnight soak, skip the 2-minute boil and soak the beans overnight.
- If necessary, add more water to cover the beans and place them back over medium heat. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 50 to 60 minutes or until tender. Avoid boiling the beans.
- Drain the liquids into a bowl and set them aside.
Combine the Remaining Ingredients and Bake the Beans
- Heat the oven to 300 F.
- In a 3-quart casserole or bean pot, layer the beans with the onions, salt pork, and bacon pieces.
- In a medium bowl, combine the molasses, salt, mustard, and pepper. Add 1 cup of the reserved liquids to the molasses mixture and stir; pour over the beans. Add enough of the remaining reserved liquid to almost cover the beans. If you don’t have enough reserved liquid, you can use water.
- Cover tightly and bake for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, removing the cover after 2 hours.
- If the beans appear dry, stir and add a bit of liquid if necessary.
- Serve and enjoy!
