The flavor and goodness of homemade baked beans are special and rarely matched by any store-bought variety.
However, the recipe takes time to prepare.
So it makes sense to prepare baked beans in advance or cook a big batch to last a couple of days.
But can you make baked beans ahead of time?
Cooking Baked Beans Beforehand
Baked beans contain perishable ingredients like soaked beans, broth or vegetable stock, sauces, herbs, and seasonings. You can make this dish ahead of time, but it will not hold up for more than a few hours at room temperature.
Regardless of whether baked beans are homemade or store-bought, it’s best to store them in the fridge if you want them to hold up.
Freshly made or leftover baked beans store well in the fridge for three to six days when stored properly.
If you wish to store them for even longer, freezing is the best option.
They will hold up for several months in the freezer.
You can thaw and use them when needed.
How Are Baked Beans Made?
The key ingredients in baked beans are soaked haricot or navy beans, tomato paste, ketchup, vegetable, or chicken broth, seasoning ingredients like onion, garlic, salt, and pepper, Worcestershire sauce, water, and a sweetening agent like sugar, and vinegar.
Depending on the recipe, there may be fewer or more ingredients.
Nevertheless, the cooking process remains the same.
To prepare baked beans, you must mix the ingredients and simmer the mix on a low to medium flame for several hours.
Prolonged cooking softens the beans, and they blend into the thick and flavorful sauce.
Corn flour slurry is also added at the very end to adjust the texture.
The cooking process takes nearly two hours.
So it makes sense to prepare a big batch that you can use for a few days at least.
However, like all perishable food, freshly made baked beans will spoil in a few hours.
When you leave it at room temperature, it starts spoiling within a few hours and becomes unsafe for consumption.
According to the USDA, you shouldn’t let perishable food sit out for longer than two hours at room temperature.
Beyond this time, the risk of food contamination increases.
So, if you leave your baked beans on the counter overnight, they will not be safe for consumption the next day.
How to Store Baked Beans for Later Use?
If you make baked beans ahead of time or have leftovers, promptly refrigerate them to extend their shelf-life.
Baked beans hold up in the refrigerator for three to six days.
Nevertheless, it’s better to use them within two days to be on the safe side.
If you can’t use them in the same week, freeze the excess.
Baked beans freeze well, and if you store them well, they retain their original texture and flavors.
You will hardly know the difference when you reheat and serve them.
To freeze baked beans, wait for the beans to cool.
Freezing them while they are still hot will cause rapid condensation and moisture build-up in the storage container.
This will trigger food spoilage. However, this isn’t an issue once the beans have cooled sufficiently.
When the beans cool down, transfer them into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag.
If you are using a container, keep a small gap between the food and the lid to allow for the expansion of the liquid during freezing.
If you are using an airtight bag, get rid of the excess air before sealing the package. Then, place it in the freezer.
Frozen baked beans will hold up for several weeks.
If you will be using smaller portions at a time, divide them into smaller portions and freeze them separately.
This will allow you to retrieve only the quantity you need at a time and leave the rest undisturbed.
When it’s time to use the baked beans, remove them from the freezer and let them thaw.
You can thaw it on the countertop or overnight in the refrigerator.
We recommend thawing it in the refrigerator overnight to make sure there are no frozen bits.
You can reheat it on the stove or in a microwave oven before serving.
Baked beans tend to become dry during reheating.
Add a little broth or warm water to the mixture to adjust the consistency.
How to Identify if Baked Beans Have Gone Bad?
The rate at which food spoilage occurs depends on various factors, like ambient temperature and humidity.
Food spoils faster in hot and humid places than in cold places.
Exposure to moisture and heat will further speed up the spoiling process.
In the case of baked beans, the signs of spoilage may not be evident at first.
Since this dish has high liquid content, it’s a favorable breeding ground for bacteria and other germs that cause foodborne illnesses.
Bacteria multiply rapidly when you leave baked beans outside for more than a few hours.
However, there may not be any visible signs like a change in color, texture, or smell until much later.
The changes will be evident only after several hours when the food quality deteriorates significantly.
Here are some signs to look for that indicate it’s time to throw your baked beans.
1. It Has Been Sitting out For a Long Time
Illness-causing bacteria rapidly grow and multiply in moisture-rich foods within two hours of preparation.
If you leave your baked beans on the kitchen counter for several hours at room temperature, spoilage will have set in.
When the ambient temperature is higher than 90°F, the rate of deterioration is higher.
It’s best to consume baked beans within two hours of preparation.
You can refrigerate them if you will not be using them within this window.
If you accidentally leave it out for much longer, the risk of food poisoning increases.
Toss any baked beans, homemade or store-bought, if you left them out overnight as they would have spoiled.
2. It Smells Funny
Fresh baked beans are fragrant and flavorful.
When it’s still warm, it will have a delightfully indulgent aroma from the different herbs and flavoring agents in the recipe.
However, if the beans smell somewhat off or funny, it indicates spoilage.
Throw it away if your baked beans have an off-putting smell or if they smell different from when you made them.
Related Reading:
- Can You Make and Store Royal Icing Beforehand?
- Can You Cut and Store Zucchini Beforehand?
- Can You Make Frosting Beforehand?
3. Change in Texture
Baked beans have a thick and creamy texture when fresh.
However, it dries up over time and thickens in the refrigerator.
To restore the original texture, you can add some extra liquid to the beans and reheat them on low heat.
However, if the baked beans become too dry or runny while sitting outside, it’s a sign of spoilage.
4. Change in Taste
The best way to find out if baked beans are safe to consume is with a taste test.
The flavor of baked beans would remain the same if you refrigerated them soon after preparation.
However, if the beans have spoiled, they will taste funny.
If you observe any significant change in taste or flavor, it’s best to toss the beans. It’s a clear sign of food spoilage.
