2 cups dried navy beans (wash them before using)
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1 lb sliced bacon (lean as you can get it)
1 tsp dry mustard
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 tsp ground ginger powder
4 Tbsp molasses or more if you want
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 onion, minced
1 Tbsp vinegar
Place beans in large pot and add 4 quarts of water. Add the 1 tablespoon of baking soda, stir well.
Place pot on high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let it boil for 2 minutes then remove from heat and let beans sit in water for 2 hours. Drain and rinse the beans.
Place beans in a bean pot or crock pot (bean pot is best) then add the rest of the ingredients to the beans and stir gently.
Cover beans with ketchup and water. Stir well. If required, add more water to ensure beans are completely covered by liquid and stir well to incorporate.
Place lid on the pot and place the bean pot in a pre-heated oven at 400° and cook for 1 hour. Give beans a gentle stir and if more liquid is required add water to ensure beans are covered. Turn down oven to 220° and bake beans for 3 more hours. Stirring every half hour or so and check to see there is enough liquid to keep the beans moist.
This is very similar to Boston Baked beans and it is the recipe my Grandma used for many years. It has been a feature on our dining table many times and is a wonderful meal in itself, but makes a great side dish for baked ham or roast beef and is fantastic with barbecued dogs and burgers as a summer sensation.
I love the musical feast that are baked beans once consumed and for a day afterwards I can entertain myself as I do what guys do best. Here! Pull my finger!
I have a very old bean pot (80+ years old) that I use to make these with, but I suppose if you are a bean pot Luddite, you could use Corelle, cast iron or some such baking dish, it won’t be the same as a bean pot but you could break with tradition and use something else. However I would recommend heading to the flea market and buying a bean pot, it is worth the effort.
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