Slow-Cooked Baked Beans
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound dried navy beans
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 4 strips bacon, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup Maull’s Genuine Barbecue sauce (maull.com) or other tomato-based barbecue sauce or ketchup
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco, if desired
- 2 1/2 cups water
- Salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse and drain navy beans. Cover with water in a large pot, and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add vegetable oil. Add bacon, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fat is rendered from bacon, 8 to 10 minutes. (Reduce heat to medium if onion and garlic start to brown.)
3. Raise heat to high, stir in cider vinegar, and let simmer until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Stir in barbecue sauce, light-brown sugar, dijon mustard, coarse salt, and hot sauce, if desired.
4. Drain beans, and add to onion mixture. Stir in water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Beans can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Reheat, and serve warm.