Adding a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to two tins of baked beans can transform the humble store cupboard staple into something "really special", according to former professional chef and recipe developer Jenny Goycochea-Marker.
Ready to eat straight from the can, baked beans are hearty, subtly sweet, and packed with enough protein and fibre to keep hunger at bay for hours. They work well as part of a full Welsh breakfast, on a jacket potato, or simply on toast. However, they can become one-note and tiresome if eaten regularly.
Making baked beans from scratch gives a richer depth of flavour but is time-consuming, especially in warmer months. To "dress up" a can, Goycochea-Marker turned to her food blog So Much Food to share her advice.
Why Worcestershire sauce works
While Goycochea-Marker enjoys adding sausages, bacon, and Dijon mustard to tinned baked beans, she stressed that Worcestershire sauce is essential. She said: "Worcestershire sauce is the secret to really savoury beans. Worcestershire sauce adds tons of umami flavour and really dresses up canned baked beans."
Worcestershire sauce contains a mix of flavour-packed ingredients, including vinegar, onion, garlic, anchovies, tamarind, salt, and sugar, though every brand varies. These flavours come through in the beans, so there is no need to add them individually. The sauce also contrasts with the acidity of tomatoes and the sweetness of brown sugar, which are common in tinned beans.
Only a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce is needed for two tins of baked beans, though more can be added if a stronger flavour is preferred. Tasting as you adjust is recommended.
Recipe for tastier baked beans
Ingredients (serves eight to 10):
- Six bacon rashers, diced
- 227g of smoked sausage, sliced into rounds
- Half an onion, diced
- Two tins of baked beans
- Half a cup of ketchup
- One-third of a cup of vinegar-based hot sauce
- Two tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- Two thirds of a cup of dark brown sugar, divided
- One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
Method:
Heat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6. In a large oven-proof pan over a low heat, slowly fry the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon out of the pan, leaving the rendered bacon fat. Add the sausages and turn the heat up to medium. Cook until browned on both sides, then add the onion. Sauté for two to three minutes until the onion begins to soften.
Add the tinned beans, ketchup, hot sauce, one third of a cup of dark brown sugar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and the crispy bacon. Bring to a simmer and cook for five minutes. Take off the heat and scatter the remaining brown sugar over the top. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until the surface is caramelised and golden. Remove and serve warm.
