Baked Beans

Morning Glory

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Baked beans are ever popular in the UK, although originating from the US. The most popular brand remains Heinz although the pretenders are gaining ground. The sugar content of the sauce has been reduced recently and no-one seems to mind. They remain a best seller amongst all tinned goods.

Heinz Beanz were launched in 1901 as "Heinz Baked Beans" and were produced in the United States until 1928. In 1901, Heinz Baked Beans were first sold at the Fortnum & Mason department store in London.[1]

In the UK we eat them on toast as a lunch or snack and they often appear as part of the famous 'Full English Breakfast' - although purists might not approve. My questions are:

Are they as popular in the States and in other countries represented here; Australia, New Zealand for example?

How do you like to eat them? On toast? Straight out of the tin?
 
Beans are very popular here. There are regional differences, from Northeast (Boston Baked), to Southwest (frie roasted, or "grillin'") and in the past few decades, many manufacturers have started making numerous different types. From vegetarian to extra smokey maple cured bacon beans.

I've had baked beans in both the US and in Ireland, and the ones from the US are usually in a thicker, more savory sauce, where those in Ireland tended to he sweeter and in a slightly soupier sauce.

We mostly them as a side dish, with bbq meats, burgers, or something like a roast chicken, and sometimes I'll eat them as a topping for a hot dog.
 
Yes, we get Heinz, but again, the sauce seems a little thicker here.

But there are probably a dozen other companies that make tinned beans, and lots of restaurants boast about their homemade beans, especially bbq joints.

There are even regional baked bean contests.
 
Btw, just off the top of my head, most supermarkets carry : Heinz, B&M, Bush's, Campbells, Van Camp, Amy's Organic, Grandma Brown's, Goya, and other smaller, organic type manufacturer's tinned beans.
 
We buy Bush's then doctor them up with crumbled bacon, onions/celery/green oeppers sauteed in the bacon grease, drained, brown sugar, dry mustard and a glob or 2 of ketchup, then bake until bubbly.

Craig really likes them. Me, I can take them or leave them.
 
The baked beans I grew up eating were thicker and had little sauce..they were paler as we didn't us a lot of tomato..they were almost beige colored and like mashed potato consistency. Ingredients were, white beans, onions, salt pork, tomato ketchup, dry mustar, brown sugar or maple syrup, salt and pepper..that's pretty much it..low and slow...
 
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Heinz baked beans (from UK) are imported to here but at a cost (£1.50) as are Branston baked beans (£1.20). Brook beans are widely available at £1.36 as are Ayam (Malaysian) at £1.00. (All in 410/420 gm tins). The latter two are too sweet for me so I generally buy Branston.

If I eat baked beans it will be with toast (with or without cheese), eggs and occasionally "hot dog" type sausages.

cheese beans egg on toast 2 s.jpg


beanssausageegg os s.jpg
 
We buy Bush's then doctor them up with crumbled bacon, onions/celery/green oeppers sauteed in the bacon grease, drained, brown sugar, dry mustard and a glob or 2 of ketchup, then bake until bubbly.

Craig really likes them. Me, I can take them or leave them.

My BIL, now a full bird colonel / West Pointer, has often spoken about his great baked bean recipe. Like they could bring a small nation to its knees.
I always "put in requests" for the recipe, and was rejected with extreme prejudice.
(My sis always used to lament her k.p. duty afterwards).

Turns out that he started with cans of Bush's, then doctored them to his liking.
 
I always buy bush's vegetarian baked beans then add molasses, yellow mustard, and brown sugar then let them bake in the oven til they are bubbly to reduce some of the liquid. Often add browned tofu crumbles and serve on a slice of bread. Heinz has always been considered a lesser quality brand of baked beans in my family. Kinda the bean of last resort so to say. Baked beans for breakfast is a very odd idea.
 
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