Old Fashioned Baked Beans

Old Fashioned Baked Beans - Photo by JayDi Photography

 Ah spring has sprung and so has BBQ season! Who could ask for a better side dish at a friends and family gathering? It's one of those dishes that once the prep work is done, takes care of itself. Easily doubled or tripled for extra to freeze or a big party.  You can even follow the exact prep steps and set it up in your slow-cooker, go out to work or baseball game and come home to homemade goodness.  I enjoyed mine last night as my Grandma B would have, with a slice of bread & mustard. "Une bonne beurrée!"  Delicious!

Old Fashioned Baked Beans

Serves 8

Ingredients:

2 cups dry white navy beans
5 cups cold water
1 medium onion, sliced
½ tbsp salt
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp prepared mustard
¼ cup fancy molasses
½ cup tomato ketchup
Pinch black pepper
¼ lb lean pork or low salt bacon, sliced

Directions:

Sort and rinse beans. SOAK BEANS OVERNIGHT in cold water. Drain. Add 5 cups cold water, cover, heat to boiling, then simmer 30 minutes or until nearly tender. Drain. Place onion slices on bottom of 6-cup flameproof casserole dish. Add remaining 7 ingredients in with the beans, stirring gently to combine, then pour entire mixture into casserole dish. Add enough water to cover mixture, and place sliced lean pork on top. Cover with lid and bake in oven at 250F for 7 hours.
When beans are tender, remove 1 cup of beans, mash, then stir back into pot carefully. Cover and continue to bake. Add water as needed to keep beans covered. One hour before serving, remove cover to darken up the beans. Salt to taste.