Boston Baked Beans, Aussie Barbecue Style

About This Recipe

Baked beans hold an odd dual identity in Australia — 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 — thyme, oregano and a bay leaf — 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 — the kind of side that quietly steals attention from the sausages.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsdried cannellini or haricot beans(soaked overnight)
• 4 slicesbacon(chopped)
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 400 gcrushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tbspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 1bay leaf
• 2 tbspbrown sugar
• 1 tbspworcestershire sauce
• 3 cupswater or stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the bacon

   In a heavy pot over medium heat, cook bacon until the fat renders and it starts to crisp, about 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   Add onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes, then stir in garlic for 1 minute.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce. Stir well.

4. 4

   Add the beans

   Drain the soaked beans and add them along with water or stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Simmer low and slow

   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.

6. 6

   Season and serve

   Remove the bay leaf, season with salt to taste, and serve hot alongside grilled sausages or bread.

Variations

• •

  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.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 5 days; the flavor improves after a day. Freezes well for up to 3 months — thaw and reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions