The best homemade baked beans breakfast. We live in an age of convenience. If you want some baked beans for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you open a tin. Tinned baked beans have a long history. H. J. Heinz started making them in 1886. They are a good source of protein and fibre. But on the downside, they can contain shocking amounts of sugar and salt. The good news is that with a little time and forethought, you can make the most amazing homemade baked beans.
A little Baked Bean History
Cooking beans goes back to the earliest American peoples. Native Americans from the northeast cooked them with sugar and bear fat. But when I think of baked beans, I have an enduring image of cowboys eating around the campfire. But that’s not one hundred per cent accurate. Beans were definitely a staple part of their diet, providing lots of carbohydrates. Dried Navy beans* they were relatively lightweight and easy to transport on the long wagon rides across the Midwest.
The beans were cooked in a Dutch oven, a heavy cast-iron pot over the embers of a fire. The beans would be flavoured with molasses and spices, and if available, onions and even a piece of salt pork. This addition is thought to have been introduced by European settlers. Similar to the pigs’ trotters used in Jersey’s own Bean crock. But tomatoes would not have been an ingredient, and it is more likely they would be eaten for breakfast after cooking all night.
*In the UK they are called Haricot beans. The dried beans have very little flavour so whenever you use them you need to cook with plenty of aromatics and flavourful ingredients.
If you liked this breakfast idea, why not take a look at my Mexican-style Baked Breakfast Eggs, the best fluffy American Pancake recipe and how to make delicious French Toast.
Why are my Baked Beans Hard?
As dried beans age and dry out, the outer skin of the bean hardens and forms a waterproof layer. This can stop the beans from rehydrating. Storing beans in a dark, dry place in an airtight container can help prevent this, and don’t buy too many. However, there are a few top tips to help your beans soften. Soaking the beans helps to soften the outside of the bean and absorb more cooking liquid.
Don’t add the tomatoes too early in the cooking process, as their natural acidity can prevent the beans from softening. Finally, the chemical composition of your water, for instance, if it is hard, may prevent the beans from absorbing water. Adding a little bicarbonate of soda, which changes the PH, can help the cooking process, but be careful not to add too much or you end up with a soggy mush. A generous pinch for the recipe below is perfect.
Homemade Baked Bean Breakfast
Ingredients
For the beans
- 500 gr tomato Passata
- 400 gr dried Haricot Beans soaked in cold water overnight
- 1 medium Onion peeled and very finely chopped
- 1 stick Celery washed and very finely chopped
- 100 ml Cider Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dark Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Puree
- 2 cloves Garlic peeled and crushed
- 1 quality Vegetable Stock Cube
- 1 teaspoon Sweet Paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf
- Sea salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
For the breakfast
- 4 slices Sourdough
- 4 free-range Eggs
- A little Vegetable Oil for frying
- A drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Red Chilli finely sliced
Equipment
- 1 Oven-proof Casserole
Instructions
For the beans
- Prepare the beans by cover the beans with cold water and leaving to soak overnight. Drain the beans and rinse them for a couple of minutes then place them in a large pan. Cover with water and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for one hour, then remove from the heat and carefully drain.
- Preheat your oven to 325 F / 160 C / Gas Mark 3. In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the oil and soften the onion and celery without colouring the vegetables. When soft add the garlic and paprika fry stirring constantly for another couple of minutes.
- Transfer to an ovenproof casserole and add the remaining ingredients and sufficient freshly boiled water to ensure the beans are well covered. Season generously, top with the lid and place in your oven.
- During cooking, please keep an eye on how much liquid is in the casserole as each batch of beans is different and you may need to add a little more water
- Cook for two and hours and carefully remove from the oven. Take of the lid, stir and return to the oven for another twenty to thirty minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Serve or allow to cool completely then place in an airtight container and refrigerate. Reheat thoroughly in a pan or in the microwave as required adding a little more water if required.
For the breakfast
- Toast the sourdough and fry the eggs. Spoon the beans evenly over the toasted sourdough and top with a fried egg and a few sliced chillies.
Notes
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