Appalachian cider-baked beans takes regular pinto beans, adds salt pork, molasses, mustard, and apple cider, making them into something magical. Hearty, flavorful, and traditional, this recipe is everything you want for dinner.
The first time that I tasted cider beans was at the local gas station. Here in the mountains, folks gather at the local gas station to visit, have a meal, and catch up on the local news. Far from serving “fast food,” these little places present “home cookin’,” and it’s delicious. This good ol’ mountain recipe is very satisfying paired with cornbread or muffins.–Joan E. Aller
Where Can I get a Ceramic Bean Pot?
Thanks to this recipe, we’re experiencing some serious ceramic bean pot envy. We want one. Those of you who have one, where’d you get yours?
☞ Contents
Appalachian Cider-Baked Beans
Equipment
- Slow cooker (if following the slow cooker method)
Ingredients
- 3 cups dried pinto beans
- 3 cups fresh apple cider
- 8 ounces salt pork thinly sliced
- 2 small yellow onions peeled and left whole
- 6 tablespoons molasses, preferably sorghum molasses
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
Directions
- To make the Appalachian Cider Beans in your slow cooker, see the Slow Cooker Variation below.
To make the Appalachian Cider Beans as God intended, in the oven, pick over the beans, discarding any stones and wrinkled beans. Rinse well and place in a large bowl. Add cold water to cover by 3 inches, cover, and let soak for 12 hours. - Drain the beans and dump them into a heavy saucepan. Add the cider and slowly bring the beans to a boil over medium heat. Gently boil, uncovered, for about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C).
- Layer half of the salt pork slices on the bottom of a 2-quart ceramic bean pot or other deep baking dish, such as a Dutch oven. Spoon the beans into the pot and then bury the onions in the beans.
- In a small saucepan, combine the molasses, dry mustard, and salt and place over medium heat until the mustard and salt dissolve into the molasses. Pour the mixture evenly over the beans and top with the remaining salt pork slices. Add the reserved cooking liquid to the pot. Add hot water as needed to cover the beans with liquid. Cover the pot.
- Bake for 4 hours, then uncover the pot and add more water if the beans seem dry. Recover and continue to bake for 1 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender. Serve hot, directly from the pot. Originally published June 27, 2011.
Show Nutrition
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This was a fun recipe to transfer to the Crock-Pot. Wanting to keep it simple, I elected not to simmer the beans with the cider but to use 2 cups of cider with my soaked, but uncooked beans. The perfect balance of salty and sweet with deep flavors of molasses and mustard. While the beans could have used a bit more time in the slow cooker, the flavor was absolutely wonderful. I’ll definitely make these again, but I will plan on 10 hours in the slow cooker to get the beans to the point where they give up all resistance.
I placed the salt pork on the bottom of the Crock-Pot, layered the beans on top of the salt pork, and poured the cider on the beans. I then buried the onions in the beans. I heated the molasses in the microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds. This was the perfect temperature for the mustard to blend into the molasses. I poured that on the beans and topped them with the remaining salt pork and set the slow cooker to high. I cooked the beans for 3 hours on high and then on low for 4 additional hours.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
I made these exactly per the recipe. They are tremendously awesomely great!
Never liked Boston Baked or Maple Syrup Baked or Boozy Baked Beans. These were perfect in every way and the only ones I’ll ever make again.
Froze half in two bags for follow up meals. Defrosted and warmed up without any loss of texture or flavour.
We’re so pleased that we were able to help you find a baked beans recipe that you absolutely love, Bernadette. Thank you for sharing!
I have made great Boston Baked Beans and equally great Canadian Baked Beans (maple syrup and maple sugar instead of molasses and brown sugar). Right now, I’m brining 1 lb of navy beans to make boiled apple cider beans. I have never made apple cider beans before, so I googled the phrase apple cider beans and got your recipe. I want to avoid using the same molasses that I use in Boston Baked Beans, so I may go to the health food store and see if they have the sorghum molasses you mention in this recipe. However, my intention had been to use boiled cider instead of molasses, and I’m wondering if anyone else out there has done this already and may have some caveats for me. For seasonings, I plan on using the same seasonings I would use in apple pie (ie cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, ginger), and a bit of dry mustard powder, as well, and I plan to also use the onions that I use in all my baked beans). Any advice?
Clara, I love the way you’re thinking. (And I envy you those Canadian Baked Beans, which sound inspired!) We haven’t tried this with reduced cider but it should work fine, it should be about the same sweetness, I expect. As for seasonings, for my personal taste, I think the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger would be a little too sweet, and I would use mostly just ginger and mustard, although that’s me. Follow your instincts and let us know how it goes.
What’s sorghum molasses vs other molasses? Please explain the different types.
Hi Lara, great question! Sorghum molasses is made from sorghum cane, a grass like plant that was used by early settlers. Molasses is made from sugar cane. They are both used as a sweetener in many baked goods as well as baked beans.
Thanks, Beth. I’ve been confused about molasses types before when reading baking recipes. For ex. sulphured, unsulphured, blackstrap, etc. Perhaps this site could do a feature some time reviewing the kinds of molasses and what’s good for what type of cooking/recipe.
I made this with some locally made cane syrup because I have an aversion to molasses. Great recipe and very tasty!
Perfect, Mike. I love when someone can tweak a recipe to make it more their own as you just did. Many thanks for taking the time to let us know how well it worked.
An authentic bean pot? Look no further than Leroux Kitchen in Portland, Maine. That’s where I got mine, and the store is definitely worth a visit (as is Portland). But you can also order your bean pot from Leroux Kitchen for $25 plus $9 shipping (very reasonable for a pot which may become an heirloom). My bean pot was made in Maine and hopefully those are still the ones they carry.
Kelly, this is terrific information, thank you SO much! I know I’m not the only one who’s grateful to learn this…