Best Beer-Baked Beans

Britain loves baked beans! They were first sold at Fortnum & Mason's in 1886 as a luxury food, but now we eat more of them than anyone else in the world. They're often seen with a fried breakfast, but my family often had them with eggs and homemade chips on a Saturday lunchtime.

While they're handy from a can, I like to spoil myself with these luxurious beer baked beans. They really are ten times better. And if you make them yourself with my recipe, they're much less likely to give you the infamous "bean wind".

Beer-baked beans

Baked beans are traditionally made with haricot beans but you can use any kind or combination. I've been experimenting with Nigerian honey beans, but you can use pinto beans, borlotti beans, canellini or anything you have handy.

Use any beer you want, the browner the colour the richer the flavour, though lager works just fine.

I bottle and keep these beans for a few months, but it's very important to be scrupulous about sterilising and sealing. Alternatively they freeze very well in individual portions.

• 500g white beans
• 2 medium onions
• 1 large stick celery
• 1 large carrot
• 3 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 3 tbsp black treacle or molasses
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 4 tbsp vinegar (cider or red wine are ideal)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tin/bottle of brown ale (approx 440ml)
• 2 tbsp of tomato ketchup

1. Soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight. To reduce "wind", drain them and change the water at least once during soaking, and make sure to rinse them thoroughly before cooking.
2. Boil the beans rapidly for 10 minutes then simmer for 30 minutes until just cooked.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop the onions, celery and carrot.
4. Sauté gently in a pan, then add all the remaining ingredients.
5. Bring to the boil, and add the cooked beans.
6. Reduce to a gentle simmer and leave to cook uncovered for roughly 1.5 hours, until the sauce has reduce to a thick ooze, and the beans are very tender. Add an extra cup of water if it gets too thick before they're done.
7. Once cooked, season with salt to taste.

Variations

Traditionalists can bake the beans in the oven at 160C for about three hours, but it's a waste unless you have the oven on for some other reason!

The chilli and mustard give them a hint of heat, add more if you like spicier beans.