Make it don't buy it: Baked beans

Katy Salter
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Make it don't buy it: Baked beans

When HJ Heinz sold his first tin of baked beans to Fortnum & Mason in London in 1886, few would’ve predicted the start of a national love affair. Yet 127 years later, baked beans are a staple for millions of Brits – synonymous with cooked breakfasts and student suppers on toast. These days, baked beans are often sold by supermarkets as a loss leader. But in 1886, Fortnum’s displayed Heinz’s tins proudly, as a pricey and exotic American import.

American origins

Baked beans began life in the USA. The navy beans (known in the UK as haricot beans) in the dish are native to the Americas and were a staple of the Native American diet, often cooked with bear fat and maple syrup, according to food writer Oliver Thring. The pilgrims and other early immigrant groups adapted the dish, possibly incorporating the traditional flavours of their own dishes, such as French cassoulet. In New England the dish baked beans soon became very popular, so much so that Boston was nicknamed Beantown, an epithet still occasionally used today.

Boston baked beans were made with salt pork and enriched with molasses. Traditionally, they are served with Boston brown bread on the side, a dark, sweet loaf made with wholemeal or rye flour, molasses and buttermilk.

Beanz Meanz Heinz?

beansIn the late 19th Century, Henry J. Heinz entered the picture. Canned foods were still a new technology, first used in America in the 1860s. Heinz’s nascent company began by selling horseradish and tomato ketchup, and soon added tinned baked beans to its then small collection of products. Heinz baked beans contained pork, and were initially sold to curious Brits shopping at Fortnum’s at a high price. From that point onwards, baked beans ingratiated themselves into the British diet.

Heinz baked beans continued to contain pork up until World War II, when rationing meant this was no longer possible. The company’s famous slogan, Beanz Meanz Heinz, was coined in the 1960s.The 1990s saw a baked beans price war among the big supermarkets, with own-brand beans selling for as little as 3p per can. These own-label beans, along with other brands such as Branston have made a dent in Heinz’s market share, but for an estimated 70% of British baked bean eaters, Beanz still Meanz Heinz today.

Ironically, Heinz isn’t most successful brand of baked beans in the US, where most brands pack in more sugar than British varieties. This has lead to the strange situation where Heinz baked beans are imported back to the USA from Britain, where they are the most popular item at ex-pat groceries, such as Myers of Keswick in New York.

Make it, don’t buy it

Homemade baked beans can’t compete with tinned on price, but it’s worth making your own once in a while.  You’ll get a far tastier, more complex dish with the pucker of vinegar, the rich sweetness of brown sugar and the heat of mustard. This recipe takes baked beans back to their New England roots, but with a British twist – I’ve used English mustard and Lyle’s black treacle instead of molasses. Some pancetta or lardons would make a delicious and traditional addition, too. 

At a glance
  • Cuisine British
  • Recipe Type side dish
  • Difficulty Easy
  • Preparation time 5 mins
  • Cooking time 60 mins
  • Serves 4 people
Ingredients
  • 1 400g tin haricot beans, drained
  • 1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dark Muscavado sugar
  • 1 tbsp black treacle
  • 2 tsp English mustard
  • 1 pinch Salt and pepper to season

Step-by-step

  1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a low-medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
  2. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, then add the sugar, black treacle, mustard and vinegar and simmer for a few minutes on a medium heat before adding the beans. Season and turn down to a low heat.
  3. Simmer for an hour on a low heat. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little water to loosen the mixture.
  4. Adjust the seasoning and add a few drops of Tabasco if more heat is required.

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