Newfoundland Boiled Beans (Dad’s Recipe)

Published: May 9, 2019 Updated: July 3, 2019 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 33 Comments

This Newfoundland boiled beans recipe is simple, rustic and oh-so-satisfying. With just some basic ingredients (like beans, ham, veggies and broth) and a little time, you could be enjoying this for dinner tonight. Delicious with a hunk of crusty, buttery bread.

Bowl of Newfoundland boiled beans with a spoon scooping some up.

Today I’m sharing another traditional Newfoundland recipe: boiled beans. This is my father’s recipe and I’m sure there are other variations, but I wanted to share how he does it (which I think is pretty darn tasty).

When I asked my dad how he makes his boiled bean recipe I asked a lot of questions about what goes in it, how much of each ingredient and the process. It was funny because, like most traditional recipes, they are made from the heart and not always written down (as in the case of my dad’s boiled beans).

When I asked about consistency and such, he said “I don’t know, I just look at it. If it’s too watery, I remove the cover to reduce some of the liquid; if it’s too thick, I add more water.” Simple as that.

Anyhow, after I prepared his recipe, I brought dad and mom some to enjoy for lunch. They loved it so I guess I made dad proud with this one!

It’s nice to hold onto tradition and recipes that mean a lot to you or where you’ve come from. Because of that, I’ve been trying to share more of those recipes. Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

What Are Newfoundland Boiled Beans?

Newfoundland boiled beans is exactly that, boiled beans. I know what you’re probably thinking … exciting!

Okay, definitely not, but what this recipe lacks in title, it makes up for in flavour.

Though there’s a broth, this is not a soup. It’s just cooked beans infused with a tasty liquid. As the beans and ham cook at the same time, the flavours of the ham seep into the beans and liquid base making everything quite relishing.

As you can probably tell, the recipe itself is super rustic. There’s nothing fancy here at all, but it tastes so good! For this boiled bean recipe, you’re going to need:

Broth and/or water (some people use all water, but I like to use a little broth, too, for extra flavour)
Dried beans that have been soaked overnight
Ham or salt beef (sometimes dad uses leftover cooked pork instead)
Veggies, like onion, turnip (rutabaga), carrot and celery (less traditional, but delicious)
Lots of black pepper
Molasses for a little sweetness (optional)

Ingredients for a Newfoundland boiled beans recipe.

Type of Bean To Use

Use dried navy beans that have been picked over (i.e., remove and discard any foreign objects, like rocks, and imperfect beans), rinsed and drained. I don’t recommend canned beans here because they won’t withstand the cooking time.

Do the Beans Have To Be Soaked Before Cooking?

Yes! After the beans have been picked over (any foreign objects, like rocks, and imperfect beans removed and discarded), give them a rinse with water and drain.

Then place the beans in a bowl of cold water, cover and store in the refrigerator overnight. Ensure that the beans are well submerged because they will expand as they soak.

When ready to use, drain, rinse again with fresh, cold water and proceed with the recipe.

How To Make Boiled Beans

Full details on how to make boiled beans are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

After picking over, rinsing and draining the beans, soak them overnight in a bowl of cold water (covered and stored in the refrigerator) so they plump and soften a little.
Add drained, soaked and rinsed beans, broth, water, smoked ham and one whole onion to a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover with lid ajar and cook for about an hour.
After an hour or when the beans are almost tender, remove the whole onion, add veggies, a little more water and half of the black pepper and salt. Cook for about 25 to 30 minutes more.
Once beans and veggies are tender, stir in remaining black pepper and some molasses. Adjust seasoning if you like.
Serve and enjoy!

Tips for Making This Boiled Beans Recipe

I used two onions here: one at the beginning and one at the end. The first one I discarded after about an hour (well, by discarded, I mean ate). If you like, you could leave in for the full cooking time.
Have a leftover ham bone? Throw that in the mix when you start. It will further infuse the broth.
Brands and varieties of ham can vary in salt content. If you need additional salt here, just add to your taste.
I like to leave the ham and veggies in larger chunks because this is such a rustic, hearty recipe. If you want to cut smaller, that’s okay too.
Dad adds a touch molasses at the end to infuse a little sweetness. This is optional, but I do think it adds something special to the recipe.

Bowls of Newfoundland boiled beans in front of some slices of bread.

Variations for This Newfoundland Boiled Bean Recipe

Salt beef is more traditional for this boiled bean recipe. My father prefers ham because it’s less salty than salt beef. Plus, salt beef is pretty difficult to get your hands on outside of Newfoundland. If you’d rather use salt beef, though, go for it. Use an equivalent amount as the ham; don’t forget to properly soak your salt beef in cold water for a day or two, changing the water once or twice to get rid of excess salt before using in this recipe. Trim any excess fat, too.
For extra oomph, throw in a couple of bay leaves (discard when beans are cooked) and some herbage, like rosemary and thyme.

Spoonful of Newfoundland boiled beans with broth dripping off the spoon.

More Comfort Food Recipes

I suggest having a nice warm roll or slice of bread (like this rosemary Parmesan bread) with this ham and bean recipe. So yummy!

If you make this Newfoundland boil beans recipe, please leave a comment below!