04 July 2019

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot or Classic

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot or Classic / www.delightfulrepast.com

Aunt Sissy's Baked Beans came to mind last month for two reasons: 1) Summer would be starting, and that's Baked Bean Season around here; and 2) It was the ninth anniversary of her death and I was enjoying fond memories of her. She was a very capable woman and quintessential homemaker, skilled in all the domestic arts.

Ever since I got an Instant Pot in December, I've wanted to adapt her recipe to the electric pressure cooker. If you don't have one, do make these beans Aunt Sissy's way at the post Baked Beans - From Scratch. But I think my Instant Pot version is identical, and there's no need to presoak the beans.

Usually at the end of the natural pressure release time, I take the inner cooking pot out of the Instant Pot to either cool or serve. This time, for some reason, I left it in place and learned a valuable piece of information. 

When I took the inner pot out over an hour later to put the "cooled" beans in the refrigerator, they were not cool. Leaving them in the turned-off and unplugged Instant Pot had kept them piping hot for over an hour! 

These beans are a must for every summer barbecue, and I hope you'll try them soon, either way.

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot or Classic / www.delightfulrepast.com

Baked Beans from Scratch - Instant Pot


(Makes 8 servings) 

6 slices (about 6 ounces/170 grams) bacon, chopped
1/2 cup finely minced onion (1 small onion)
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) navy or small white beans
3 1/2 cups (28 fluid ounces/828 ml) water
3 tablespoons (1.31 ounces/37 grams) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons (2.1 ounces/60 grams) unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 to 1 1/4 cups ( 8 to 10 fluid ounces/237 to 296 ml) ketchup



1 With Instant Pot on Saute function, cook chopped bacon until crisp. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add chopped onion, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom, adding a bit of the water if needed, to free up all that flavor and to make sure your Instant Pot won't give you the Burn signal. Turn it Off.


2 Rinse and pick over beans to remove any debris. Add beans to Instant Pot along with all remaining ingredients. Stir everything up. 

3 Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 45 minutes.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

4 When the beep sounds, turn it off by pressing Cancel. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

5 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the beans are not done to your liking, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The cooked beans can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Note: Check out Instant Pot Pinto Beans post for more info about the vagaries of dried bean cookery!


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Jean

49 comments:

Jeanie said...

This could NOT be more timely! Thanks! And Happy Fourth!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Jeanie. Glad to be of service!

Thomas "Sully" Sullivan said...

Insta-pots – a.k.a. R2-D2 – are way over my pay grade. However, I have my mother’s secret dossier (hand-scratched notes) for preparing Navy beans in a glass whatchamacallit. Beans are a great way to eat molasses and butter on fists full of bread!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sully, I most often use those glass whatchamacallits myself! But since I seem to have become, in the line of duty, the queen of countertop appliances, I do like to make use of them once in a while.

Debbie - Mountain Mama said...

I'm so glad that you posted this, Jean!! I just ordered a bunch of pinto beans yesterday and wanted to try to make my own baked beans - would they work or do I need to get smaller beans? So excited to try this - I've never made my own baked beans! Can you freeze them?

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Debbie. I've never made baked beans with pintos; I always use navy beans or small white beans. And, yes, you can freeze the cooked beans. When I've done so, I've made a point of freezing in meal-size portions, so that they'll only be reheated one time.

Angie's Recipes said...

So very yummy made with bacon :-)) I would love some now!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Angie. I tend to go a little heavy on the bacon in baked beans!

Lowcarb team member said...

Many thanks for this recipe suggestion Jean.

All the best Jan

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Jan. I've been surprised by how much use I'm making of the Instant Pot.

Quinn said...

I've been thinking about making a big batch of baked beans, but I don't have a pressure cooker or instantpot and haven't wanted to have the oven on - it's been in the low 90s and humid here lately. I think I'll use your Aunt Sissy's ingredients but try making it in my crockpot...any tips? :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

H, if I were going to do the slow cooker I would follow steps 1 and 2 of my original Baked Beans post (presoaking and partial cooking), then put all the ingredients in the slow cooker, adding back 3 1/2 cups of the drained and reserved bean cooking liquid, and set it to Low for about 9 hours. Let me know how that works for you.

Margie said...

It has been decades since I had baked beans.

Happy Independence Day, Jean!

kitty@ Kitty's Kozy Kitchen said...

I love homemade, from scratch, baked beans, Jean! I’ll have to try your IP recipe. Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇸❤️🇺🇸

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Margie. It's high time you had some baked beans!

Quinn said...

Thanks - will do!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

That's right, Kitty, you have an IP, too! I hope you'll try the recipe soon and let me know how it turned out for you. Thank you.

Tamago said...

I love baked beans! Bacons must give really good flavor :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Tamago. Yes, I think bacon makes everything better! :-)

April J Harris said...

Your Aunt Sissy's beans sound amazing, Jean! I'd have to use her conventional recipe as I still haven't got an instant pot, but I know so many people who will love this one too. Thank you for sharing, and for being a part of the Hearth and Soul Link Party. I hope you had a good 4th of July and that you have a lovely weekend!

Cheryl said...

Hi Jean, this recipe has come at a perfect time for me! I've been eating baked beans quite a lot recently and wondered if I could make them 'better'. The canned variety lack something. And then along comes your post! Thank you! I hope to try them soon! Have a lovely weekend. :-)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

April, thank you so much! Aunt Sissy has a grandson who loves her recipe AND he has an Instant Pot, so I was excited that his mom was going to send him a link!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Cheryl, thank you! I'm so glad to hear that! Do try them soon and let me know how you liked them.

Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch) said...

Your recipe sounds like the perfect combo of flavors for a great pot of baked beans. I made them using dried pinto beans in my IP for the first time yesterday - turned out great. Yay for baked bean season. :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Lea Ann. And I have you to thank for finally tipping my scales in favor of getting an Instant Pot!

TONY said...

Had to check the ingredients on the back of my tin of Heinz Baked Beans in the cupboard. It says haricot beans. I checked haricot beans and they are called by various names including, Navy Beans, which you name in this recipe, Jean. Phew!! So far so good. I like the idea of using bacon in your recipe. I should imagine that will add extra texture, flavour and more protein to the dish.I never got the hang of Heinz Baked Beans with mini sausages in them. I think it was to get young children more interested.Not sure it worked. BUT, Heinz Baked Beans have been part of my eating experience since as far back as I remember. As a student, in the early 1970's , baked beans on toast kept me going !!! Quick and easy and not much washing up. Ha! Ha! I must try your version Jean. It sounds delicious. Tony

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

We here in Canada enjoy baked beans anytime, no matter the season, and at any meal. Pity my hubby doesn't like them as much as I do but he will eat them! I got my love for baked beans from my father who adored them with homemade biscuits. My mother never made them from scratch, using only the canned. Hardly the same! We had friends that our parents would visit every weekend and the Nana of the house would bake beans and serve them with homemade biscuits. My Daddy and I couldn't wait for Saturday night to go Nana's house for beans and biscuits. Nana always used yellow eyed beans. When I first started baking beans myself I used a friend's recipe, in a real bean pot but with yellow eyed beans. {They had to be beans like Nana's} Later I started using a crock pot and they turned out pretty much the same. I don't own a IP and probably won't but this recipe looks and sounds scrumptious! I would like to try your aunt's recipe. Sorry this is so long but your recipe brought to mind this lovely memory of my father and me enjoying Nana's baked beans and biscuits. Have a wonderful weekend, Jean.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Tony, thank you. I've had the Heinz baked beans, both versions--I think they're made a little sweeter in the US than in the UK, or is it the other way around?--and I can tell, these are sooo much better. Make them once and you'll never go back to canned! When the Beatles went to India, Ringo had two suitcases, one of clothes and one of Heinz baked beans. He wanted to be sure to have something to eat that his delicate digestion could handle.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sandi, never apologize for a long comment! I love it when a post evokes a memory that you want to share. And that is a good one. I'll have to make some biscuits next time I make the baked beans and try that delicious sounding combination.

Jennifer@MyFlagstaffHome said...

Each Instant Pot recipe I see, inspires me even more to get one. Thanks so much for sharing at the Weekend Blog Hop at My Flagstaff Home. --Jennifer

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Jennifer. I resisted the IP for so long, but I'm glad I broke down and got one six months ago. I've used it far more than I thought I would.

Phil in the Kitchen said...

I haven't made baked beans from scratch for at least a decade and you've reminded me just how good they can be. Lovely recipe and all the better for being associated with precious, family memories. It's just too easy to reach for a classic can of baked beans in this country, especially now that you can buy very low sugar and salt versions easily. They're fine but they're no substitute for the homemade.

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Phil, thank you. We have occasionally picked up some canned baked beans--adequate but, as you say, no substitute for the homemade. And this way, with the pressure cooker, is just sooo convenient. I hope you'll break that decade-long streak and make them soon!

ellen b. said...

Growing up east of Los Angeles my Mexican American friends' mom's would always have a pot of beans on the stove cooking. I can almost smell that smell. Baked beans would be a much more pleasant smell, I think. :)

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Ellen, I do like the smell of the baked beans cooking more, but I also love eating pinto beans (and have blogged how to cook them stovetop, slow cooker and Instant Pot). Love my legumes!

Pauline Wiles said...

I love baked beans but I confess I usually find the canned version too sweet in the US. Thanks for another inspiring recipe, Jean!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Pauline. Yes, you definitely need to make your own for that reason. For my own taste, I like to cut back on the brown sugar and molasses in this recipe and use the lesser amount of ketchup.

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

Beans are so nutritious! Everyone seems to love the instant pot! Do I need one too? lol Enjoy your day!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Don't just Dream about it--get one! Glad I finally did! Thanks so much for stopping by.

handmade by amalia said...

I also have a few recipes from my grandmother that come with a lot of memories. Thanks for another great recipe, Jean.
Amalia
xo

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, Amalia. I'm so glad you have some recipes from your grandmother. I love grandmother memories!

Kitchen Riffs said...

Love baked beans. LOVE them! And this is such a nice way to remember your aunt. Nice recipe -- thanks.

Deborah said...

Beans means filling, healthy and yum. My type of food! #Senisal

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thank you, John. She was such a lady!

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, Deborah! I agree.

Sherry said...

thanks for this recipe!
i'm new to the instant pot crowd..

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Sherry, I had no idea when I finally got an Instant Pot last December that I'd actually use it this much. Never having used a pressure cooker, I was under the impression that it was sort of like cooking in the microwave--fast but a poor substitute for "real" cooking. Not true!

R's Rue said...

Yummy.
www.rsrue.blogspot.com

Jean | DelightfulRepast.com said...

Thanks, R!