Reviews you can trust.

See why.

Canned Baked Beans

A sweet discovery helped us see which baked beans are best.

Published June 1, 2009. Appears in Cook's Country TV Season 3: Southwestern Suppers

See Everything We Tested

What You Need To Know

Since they are so mild, white beans are often cooked with plenty of salt, sugar, and pork—the alchemy that makes baked beans so popular. And while baked beans are a staple of backyard gatherings, few of us bother to make them from scratch. Canned baked beans deliver convenience, especially in the heat of summer. But are they any good?

Sampling Pork-Based and Vegetarian Baked Beans

We gathered cans from industry leaders and three vegetarian-style brands. We rounded out our lineup with an outlier: a pork and bean product that isn’t technically baked beans but was deemed close enough (through pre-tasting). All the beans were heated in saucepans and sampled plain by our panel of 22 tasters. Our preferences quickly fell into line: We liked sweet, slightly firm beans.

Seeking Balance in Flavor & Texture

Surprisingly, a meatless product came out on top, just ahead of two well-known brands. Tasters rated these three brands the sweetest, and a check of the ingredient list confirmed that they did indeed contain the most sugars. The top three brands were also judged to have the best texture, which makes sense when you consider that sugar slows the softening process (our tasters liked beans with a little bite).

Choose Molasses; Avoid Tomato

More important, the type of sweetener had a big impact on flavor. Our top four brands all contain molasses, a classic baked bean seasoning that adds complexity and depth. Our three least-favorite brands rely on high fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice and maple syrup, and sorghum (respectively) instead. Finally, the three lowest-ranked brands contain tomato puree, which made the beans taste inappropriately “ketchup-y”; the recommended brands are not made with any tomato product.

Everything We Tested

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

Reviews you can trust

The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.

0 Comments