There are so many iconic bean dishes, from chili to veggie burgers. But one of the most beloved bean recipes worldwide is without a doubt baked beans.
Just as popular in England as they are across America, these sweet and savory beans are a summertime cookout must-have and even enjoyed by many for breakfast!
But, with so many kinds of beans out there, which beans make the best baked beans? If you want the traditional answer, look no further than the roots of the recipe!
Beans used for Baked Beans Navy beans, also known as Haricot Beans, are the beans used in commercially produced canned baked beans. They are white beans that are slightly smaller than Cannellini beans. However, any small to medium beans will work just fine here. They don’t even need to be white!
White beans are the original
When it comes to the origins of baked beans, most traditional recipes utilize white beans! Whether it is a more tomato-based version you often see in European cuisine or the famous Boston-style baked beans, you’ll often see baked bean recipes call for white beans like our Randall Great Northern Beans.
White beans, discovered in the Americas by early explorers and then brought back overseas, were quickly adopted in Europe as the baked bean standard because their rich, creamy and nutty flavor balanced perfectly with the sweet tomato base they were added to. Later on, recipes from the Southern United States that got their sweetness from molasses, syrup or brown sugar relied on them for similar reasons.
Great northern beans also have a firm exterior meaning they can sit, stew and help develop flavors of the dish under high heat for long durations without turning mushy. This was a perk cooks in America and Europe could agree upon!
This is how your Baked Beans are made | Catalyst
FAQ
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