Email to Cat      

New England Baked Beans

Source of Recipe

From "In the Kitchen with David" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"Baked beans remain a traditional dish served in homes and restaurants throughout the Northeast. Some people make theirs with maple syrup or molasses, but I use a combination of both. Beans were once cooked for hours in special earthenware bean pots in the embers of a fireplace. I make mine low and slow in my oven and serve them with grilled sausages, burgers, or ribs."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 pound dried Great Northern beans
◦  ½ pound thickly sliced bacon, chopped
◦  1 Spanish onion, chopped
◦  2 cloves garlic, minced
◦  2 cups ketchup
◦  1 cup Dijon mustard
◦  ½ cup apple cider vinegar
◦  1½ cups packed dark brown sugar
◦  ⅓ cup molasses
◦  ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
◦  ½ tsp kosher salt


Recipe

Place the beans in a large pot in water to cover and soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Rinse the beans and pick them over. Place the beans in a Dutch oven and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the beans to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour.

Drain and rinse the beans. Return the beans to the Dutch oven and add 6 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook, until the beans are almost tender, about 2 hours.

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Using tongs, remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings from the pan. Add the onion to the pan with the drippings from the pan. Add the onion to the pan with the drippings and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the ketchup, mustard, vinegar, brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, and salt.

Preheat the oven to 275° F.

Drain the beans, reserving the cooking liquid. Put the beans in a 4-quart ovenproof Dutch oven or baking dish. Stir in the bacon and the onion mixture. Cover and bake for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until the beans are creamy. If the beans seem dry, add reserved cooking liquid as necessary. Serve hot.


Makes 8 to 10 servings