Rachel Khoo: Full of Beans

I didn’t get to taste the famous Boston baked beans when I visited the East Coast city — I was too distracted by the unbelievable shellfish on offer. But now the weather is colder, these beans are just the ticket with a piping hot jacket potato. This dish was born in New England, where molasses were widely available for the rum industry. Traditionally the beans are cooked in a terracotta beanpot, but a cast-iron pan works just as well. So make the most of the cold nights drawing in with this slow-cooked one-pot warmer.

Boston Baked Beans with Ham Hock

Serves 6

500g dried white beans, soaked overnight

1 ham hock, smoked

2 onions

3 carrots

1 tin cherry tomatoes

1 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tbsp English mustard

5 tbsp tomato purée

1 tbsp molasses or treacle

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

6 jacket potatoes to serve (optional)

Place the dried beans in a large bowl and soak overnight in plenty of cold water. When you are ready to start cooking, drain the beans and set aside.

Place the ham hock in a large pan of cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse.

Add the beans to a large cast-iron lidded pan (or beanpot if you happen to have one). Roughly peel and chop the onions and carrots and add to the beans. Empty the tinned tomatoes into the pan, fill the can with water and add to the beans as well. Make sure the beans are just covered in liquid. Add the sugar, mustard, tomato purée, molasses or treacle, and red wine vinegar and season to taste.

Preheat the oven to 140C/Gas Mark 1. Bring the beans to a simmer on the hob then take off the heat, add the ham hock snugly to the middle of the beans, pop the lid on and place in the oven for 3-4 hours.

To serve, shred the ham hock meat off the bone and serve with the beans and jacket potatoes, if liked.