Proper Baked Beans
Tom Kerridge’s slow-cooked baked beans with bacon, served with fresh soda bread.
Source
Recipe Info
Servings: 6
Prep: 12h
Cook: 2h 30m
Total: 14h 30m
Ingredients
- 400g dried white beans (such as haricot blanc), soaked overnight in cold water
- 75ml rapeseed oil
- 200g smoked streaky bacon, chopped
- 200g onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 150g soft dark brown sugar
- 200ml red wine vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 340g wholemeal flour
- 340g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cracked black pepper
- 85g butter, softened, plus extra to serve
- 625ml buttermilk
Instructions
- Drain the soaked white beans and put them in a large pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Drain again and return to the pan. Cover with water and cook for approximately 1 hour, or until just soft. Remove from the heat and drain.
- In a large saucepan, heat the rapeseed oil over a medium heat. Add the streaky bacon and fry until crisp. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar, vinegar and 500ml water. Bring to the boil, then add the soaked beans. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 1½-2 hours, or until you have a thick sauce with soft, tender beans.
- Meanwhile, make the soda bread. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
- Mix all the soda bread ingredients together and form into a loaf shape of your choice.
- Place on a baking tray, dust with flour and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until golden-brown and it sounds hollow when tapped.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Slice and toast when needed.
- Season the beans with salt and pepper and serve with slices of toasted soda bread.