Baked Yellow Eye Beans

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

Diana

Enjoy a New England baked bean dinner with Maine’s favorite yellow eye beans!

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Servings 6 to 8 servings

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Course Beans

Cuisine New England

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 hours hours

Ingredients

  

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• 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!

Keyword baked beans, yellow eye beans

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