Baked Beans recipe

I read a delicious-sounding recipe for baked beans and wanted to try it out. The recipe called for canned baked beans, insisting that the dish tasted best ONLY with canned baked beans. So off I went to the store to check out canned baked beans.

Wow! The most popular, not to mention cheapest, brands of beans were filled with high fructose corn syrup! The brands that didn't use high fructose corn syrup came in smaller cans AND cost a LOT more. Since I didn't feel like spending over $10 for just the beans in this recipe, I decided to make the darned things from scratch.

Of course there's the barbecue sauce, too. Since I didn't have any on hand, I had to make that from scratch, too. THAT'S why this recipe comes in multiple parts.

But just for the record, the beans turned out delicious!

Pork and Beans From Scratch
1 lb white beans (I used Great Northern, but any white beans work just as well)
1 cup ketchup
2 cups water
2 tbsp. dark molasses
1/4 lb. diced salt pork or diced bacon
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tbsp. salt

Preparation:
Soak the beans for at least 4 hours, drain, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil, then simmer until tender. Drain.

OR bring the beans to a boil, boil for 10 minutes, turn off the heat and let the beans sit for an hour. Bring back to a boil, then simmer until tender. Drain.

Combine cooked navy beans with remaining ingredients; mix gently to blend ingredients.

On the Stovetop:
Cover and cook on low until no longer soupy, stirring occasionally.

In a Crockpot:
Cover and cook on low 5 to 7 hours (high 2 1/2 to 4 hours)

Classic BBQ Rib Sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced onion
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
fresh ground pepper to taste
Preparation:
Cook minced onion and garlic in olive oil until onions turns opaque. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of barbecue sauce.

Southern-Style Baked Beans
Serves up to 18
8 slices bacon, halved
1 medium onion, cut into small dice
1/2 medium green pepper, cut into small dice
3 large cans (28 ounces each) pork and beans (or use the from-scratch recipe above)
3/4 cup barbecue sauce (either store bought or use the recipe above)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup distilled or cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dry mustard or 2 tablespoons Dijon

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Fry bacon in large, deep sauté pan skillet until bacon has partially cooked and released about 1/4 cup drippings. Remove bacon from pan and drain on paper towels. Add onions and peppers to drippings in pan and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans and remaining ingredients bring to a simmer. (If skillet is not large enough, add beans and heat to a simmer then transfer to a large bowl and stir in remaining ingredients). Pour flavored beans into a greased 13-by 9-inch (or similar size) ovenproof pan. Top with bacon, then bake until beans are bubbly and sauce is the consistency of pancake syrup, about 2 hours. Let stand to thicken slightly and serve.