BBQ Baked Beans

For any occasion that calls for baked beans, I usually begin making them 3 days in advance of the get together to ensure they cook up correctly. This recipe serves 4 people. These beans are delicious while hot.

Ingredients

⅓ pound navy beans picked over and soaked in cold water for 8 to 12 hours

⅙ teaspoon baking soda

⅔ bay leaves

1 ⅓ ounces thick-sliced bacon

⅓ medium onion minced

⅛ cup mild molasses + 2 additional tablespoons

⅛ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 cup boiling water

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, optional

⅓ Tablespoon Dijon mustard

⅔ teaspoons cider vinegar

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Day One: Soak the Navy Beans in water overnight (8-12 hours).

Day Two:  In the morning, drain them and pour them into a large Dutch oven along with 8 cups of water, baking soda, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and use a slotted spoon to skim the foam off the top. Boil for 15-20 minutes.

While the beans are cooking, chop the bacon into 2-inch pieces. In a large non-stick skillet, sauté bacon and onion over medium-high heat until fat is rendered from the bacon and the edges of the onion begin to brown slightly, for about 8-10 minutes.

Place the bacon and onion in the slow cooker. Stir in ⅓ cup molasses, brown sugar, and 3 cups of boiling water.

Once beans are done boiling, drain them and transfer them to the slow cooker, discarding bay leaves.

Give everything a good stir and place aluminum foil directly on the surface of the beans, then cover the slow cooker with a lid.

Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook until the beans are creamy and tender for 10-12 hours.

Day Three: Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid, and discard the aluminum foil.

Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of molasses, maple syrup (optional), mustard, and vinegar—season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cover the slow cooker lid and let the beans sit until the sauce slightly thickens for about 15-20 minutes. Serve.

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing, with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts degree from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Ashford University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft, and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, gouache, and pastels. As a political operative who has worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 7 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, Gardening, and opinion or history pieces each week.