I think the beans used for 'baked beans' are called Navy beans - and molasses and pork were staples of the British navy, so perhaps the combination began there.

The long cooking time could be reduced by the use of hay boxes - the pots were brought up to the boil, the lid put on, and then they were placed in boxes lined with straw to keep them hot as long as possible.

The same technique was used to transport hot food out to shooting parties, with carts divided up into suitably sized compartments with fancy tureens for the ladies and gentlemen and a gradation of lesser vessels for the servants and the beaters.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: