Baked beans
Updated:
7 Sep 2020
Baked beans is a dish traditionally containing white beans which are parboiled and then baked at a low temperature for a lengthy period of time in some sort of sauce. This is the usual preparation of the dish in the United States when not using canned beans. In the United Kingdom the dish is sometimes baked, but usually stewed in a sauce. Canned baked beans are not baked, but are cooked through a steam process. Baked beans has its origins in Native American cuisine, and the dish is made from beans indigenous to the Americas. Today baked beans is commonly served throughout the United States alongside barbecue food of various kinds and at picnics. Beans in a brown sugar, sugar, or corn syrup sauce (sometimes with and sometimes without a tomato base) are widely available throughout the USA. Canned baked beans are used as a convenience food, and most commercially canned baked beans are made from haricot beans, also known as navy beans (a variety of Phaseolus vulgaris) in a sauce. They may be eaten hot or cold, straight from the can, as they are already fully cooked. Mass production of canned baked beans began in the United States in 1895 by the H. J. Heinz Company. In the early 20th century, canned baked beans became popular internationally, particularly in the United Kingdom where the greatest amount of canned baked beans is currently consumed as part of a standard English full breakfast.