Slow-simmered white beans in a smoky tomato and herb sauce, the kind served alongside a barbecue at an Australian backyard cookout.
Baked beans hold an odd dual identity in Australia β beloved from the tin on toast, but also made properly from scratch as a hearty side at barbecues, camping trips and shared community cookouts. This from-scratch version simmers dried cannellini or haricot beans in a smoky, herb-flecked tomato sauce until they turn soft and the sauce thickens into something you'd want to scoop with bread, closer to American Boston baked beans than the sweeter, thinner tinned version most Australians grew up on. Bacon or bacon fat gives the beans a savory backbone, while a mix of market herbs β thyme, oregano and a bay leaf β and a good hit of smoked paprika bring depth without leaning on sugar the way tinned versions do. The beans need low, slow cooking to break down properly and thicken the sauce; rushing the process leaves them chalky in the center. It's a dish built for a crowd, cooked in one pot and left to simmer while the barbecue does the rest of the work β the kind of side that quietly steals attention from the sausages.
Serves 6
In a heavy pot over medium heat, cook bacon until the fat renders and it starts to crisp, about 5 minutes.
Add onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes, then stir in garlic for 1 minute.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce. Stir well.
Drain the soaked beans and add them along with water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
Partially cover and simmer for 75-90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are fully tender and the sauce has thickened.
If the sauce reduces too fast before the beans are tender, add water in half-cup increments.
Remove the bay leaf, season with salt to taste, and serve hot alongside grilled sausages or bread.
Soaking dried beans overnight is essential β skipping it roughly doubles the cooking time and risks uneven texture.
Smoked paprika, not sweet paprika, is what gives the beans their barbecue-adjacent smokiness.
Taste and adjust salt only near the end, since bacon and stock both add sodium as they cook down.
Leave out the bacon and use smoked paprika plus a splash of liquid smoke for a vegetarian version.
Add a chopped chorizo for a spicier, more substantial pot.
Finish with a splash of apple cider vinegar for extra brightness against the sweetness.
Refrigerate up to 5 days; the flavor improves after a day. Freezes well for up to 3 months β thaw and reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Tinned baked beans became an Australian pantry staple through 20th-century British colonial food supply chains and remain one of the country's most consumed tinned goods. This from-scratch, barbecue-style version reflects Australia's separate, parallel tradition of slow-cooked bean pots served at communal outdoor cookouts, closer in spirit to American Boston baked beans than the sweeter tinned product most Australians associate with beans on toast.
Yes β use about 4 cups of drained canned beans and reduce the simmer time to 25-30 minutes, since they're already cooked and just need to absorb the sauce.
Old dried beans, or beans not soaked long enough, take much longer to soften β make sure to soak for a full 8-12 hours and use beans that aren't more than a year or two old.
Yes β brown the bacon and onion on the stovetop first for flavor, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours.
Per serving (320g / 11.3 oz) Β· 6 servings total
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