Boston Crocked Beans

Name: Boston Crocked Beans
Yield: makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound dried Great Northern or navy beans; 1/2 pound bacon, diced; 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups); 1/2 cup molasses; 1/4 cup Dijon mustard; Kosher salt

January 24, 2012

It’s no big deal to make a pot of real “baked” beans, especially if you forget about the baking part and use a slow cooker. The only work is cooking the bacon and onion before dumping everything into the crock. Boston beans have lots in common with barbecue. The vital ingredients—molasses, mustard, onion, and bacon—are the same components that impart the barbecue balance of sweet/sour/savory in sauces. In the slow cooker, the beans finish up just as thick and dark as any from Boston.

Recipe notes

White Bean Turkey Chili

A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Rosemary and Dried Cherry Pork Chops

Rehydrating dried cherries in hot water turns them plump and juicy—exactly what you want scattered throughout a rosemary-scented pan sauce for pork chops.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Frijoles Peruanos (Peruvian Refried Beans)

Mayocobas, or canary beans, are the quick-cooking pantry ingredient you should know about.

Gochujang Turkey Sweet Potatoes

Fully loaded, meal-prep friendly, and ready to be dressed up, down, or sideways.