06 September 2021

Baked beans on toast

Why do Brits like dumping a can of beans on their toast? First it's important to note that unlike, say, Boston’s baked beans, British beans on toast are supposed to come from a can—preferably a blue Heinz can of “baked beans in tomato sauce” (which remain quite different from America’s sweeter, porkier canned baked beans), although other brands are out there. Never mind that these navy beans are actually stewed: The point is that it’s inexpensive, filling, nostalgic, and oh-so-British, literally just canned beans heated up and served over (hopefully) buttered toast.

So what are the origins of beans on toast? Heinz claims that an executive invented the dish as a marketing ploy in 1927, but it’s likely the dish is still around today because it was so common as a cheap protein during World War II, for breakfast, dinner, or both. Today it’s more popular as breakkie for broke university students, budget-strapped travelers, and, well, people feeling nostalgic for those days. Some people add mustard or HP sauce; some melt cheese on top; many won’t eat a traditional English fry-up without it on the side.

As for the taste: It’s just exactly what it sounds like—there’s no secret hidden ingredient, though butter definitely makes it better. So if you like British canned beans, you’ll be in good shape.
Cartoon from The New Yorker.  Text continues at Eat Your World.

11 comments:

  1. We are Australian and my husband still has this for Monday lunch as a treat!

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  2. I grew up in New Mexico and lived outside Manchester for a few years, the one thing I NEEDED to add to this to make it palatable for me was a fresh diced jalapeno and honestly, with just that little bit of spice, it actually became something that I craved, and still to this day (15 years later) still wake up craving.

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  3. I usually trow a fried egg on top of the toast first before adding the beans.

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  4. The American comedian Dave Attell hung out with some London cab drivers on his show Insomniac and they served him baked beans on toast. He seemed to enjoy it but committed a major faux pas when he tried to pick up the toast instead of using a knife and fork.

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  5. the american version would be vegetarian beans. but i still do not get the appeal of eating a starch / carbohydrate (beans) on a (with a) starch / carbohydrate (bread).

    I-)

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    1. You won't want to hear about my ramen sandwiches I'm guessing.

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  6. The beans must be Heinz. Princess Diana was said to eat a whole can of beans on toast for breakfast on occasion. I lived in London over 50 years ago and still have beans on toast once in a while. I also learned to love Marmite.

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  7. I’m a Brit and, having had so-called ‘canned beans in tomato sauce’ outside of the UK, I can assure you it’s simply not the same. Foreign baked beans are too runny and too sweet. You need Heinz baked beans as sold in the UK (some UK store-brand beans might do but even then…) And proper mature cheddar cheese on top is virtually a requirement.

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    1. Branston baked beans are also pretty good.

      I like to cut my toast into "soldiers", and I may further cut the strips of toast into little squares for increased forkability.

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  8. (long time reader, first time commentator, UK resident) The emphasis on breakfast re: beans on toast puzzled me a bit. To my mind while beans and toast aren't unusual in a cooked breakfast beans *on* toast are more of a lunch, light dinner or heavy late night snack. Culturally analogous to a grilled cheese sandwich in the US. A mainstream all ages food but with a nursery tinge.

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