Slow-Baked Beans Recipe
- 1 pound (about 2½ cups) dried beans, picked over and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt, preferably sea salt
- Boiling water to cover beans by 2 inches
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250°F.
- Set the beans in a large Dutch oven or lidded casserole. Sprinkle with salt. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover by 2 inches. Cover and bake until the beans are tender, 1 to 4 hours, depending on size and condition. (Most beans take 2 to 3 hours, but an occasional batch can surprise you.) Add boiling water, if needed, to keep the beans covered.
- If you like the way the cooking liquid tastes, reserve it when you drain the beans. Refrigerate the beans for up to 3 days, or freeze until needed (see Freezing Cooked Beans opposite).
- Other Ideas:
- Freezing Cooked Beans:
- After the beans have cooled, freeze them in heavy, zipper-topped plastic bags. It’s convenient to store them in 1¾-cup quantities, the approximate amount contained in a 15-ounce can, and the amount I call for in recipes. Defrost frozen beans either at room temperature or in a microwave.
- Bonus Bean Broth:
- Cook the beans with 1 chunked carrot, 2 sliced celery ribs, 1 large bay leaf, 1 halved shallot or small onion, 1 or 2 crushed cloves of garlic (optional), and 1/8 teaspoon peppercorns. Remove and discard the vegetables after draining the beans. Use the broth for soups and stews.
- Make a tasty side dish or a spread for baguette by mashing the cooked beans coarsely with roasted garlic and olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Garnish the beans with Gremolata.
- See the recipe for Slow-Baked Cannellini with Olives, Escarole, and Gremolata for another approach to this technique.
