Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 1 pound Dried Navy Beans
• 8 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 6 slices Bacon
• 1 medium, chopped Onion
• 2 cloves, minced Garlic
• 1/4 cup Molasses
• 1/4 cup, packed Brown Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Dry Mustard

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the navy beans and place them in a large pot. Cover with 8 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1-1.5 hours, or until beans are tender but not mushy.

2. 2

   While the beans are simmering, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside, reserving the bacon fat in the skillet.

3. 3

   Add the chopped onion to the skillet with the bacon fat and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   In a large bowl, combine the molasses, brown sugar, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, smoked paprika, black pepper, and dry mustard.

5. 5

   Drain the cooked navy beans, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

6. 6

   Add the drained beans to the bowl with the sauce mixture and stir to combine. Crumble the cooked bacon and add it to the bean mixture.

7. 7

   Pour the bean mixture into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Add a little of the reserved bean liquid if it seems too thick.

8. 8

   Cover the baking dish with foil and bake at 325°F (160°C) for 2-2.5 hours. Remove the foil during the last 30 minutes to allow the top to brown and the sauce to thicken.

9. 9

   Let the baked beans cool slightly before serving.

Recipe Variations

• →Try adding different herbs for variety.
• →Substitute ingredients based on dietary needs.