Baked Beans

Ingredients

• 2c navy or pinto beans
• 1 bay leaf or other leafy herb

• 12oz salt pork
• 1c (or 1 whole) chopped onion

• 1/3c ketchup
• 1/2c brown sugar
• 1/2c molasses
• 1/2 t dry mustard, chili powder, black pepper
• paprika, mustard to taste

Optional

• 1/4c maple syrup
• 1/2c orange juice
• 1 whole cayenne pepper

Recipe

The work is up front, and then a very long cooking time. I extend the soaking and cooking time depending how soon I want them ready. If I have lots of time I'll soak for 20 hours, then sprout overnight on a pan with very little water in it. Can skip the sprouting and soak as little as 6 hours. Then...

Cover the beans with their bean juice and bring to a boil on the stove with leafy herb and simmer for 15-20 minutes to 2 hours, until soft. If they don't soften, keep boiling... If they still don't soften, through their evil hearts in the compost.

Drain the beans, preserving the juice separately, and add onion and pork to the pot.

If adding the orange juice and maple syrup, combine them with molasses, ketchup, brown sugar, mustard, and spices in a bowl first.

Mix everything together in a bean pot or slow cooker and cook 2-5 hours at 325℉. Cover with and refill with bean juice as needed. Sometimes I prefer tossing the bean juice, because it can encourage gassiness or start smelling if the soak was long. I find I need the whole 5 hours with prepared dry beans. If things are gelling but aren't done after 3-5 hours, you can remove the bean pot lid for the last hour (or an additional hour).

It takes 4-8 hours depending on the beans and how hot I keep things. Sometimes we'll use the oven for other things while the beans bake.