Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 lb dry navy beans (or Great Northern)
  • 4 slices thick cut bacon (cooked partway, then coarsely chopped)
  • 1 cup yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 medium jalapeño pepper (seeded and chopped)
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 3/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

Instruction

  • Sort through and rinse beans and remove any rocks.
  • Cover (about 2-inches over the beans) with water and soak overnight. Roughly 4 cups of water.
  • Drain beans; cover with 6 cups of fresh water. Should cover the beans by at least an inch.
  • Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for one hour.
  • While beans are cooking, fry your bacon partway (bacon should not get crispy); remove to drain on paper towels. Coarsely chop when cooled.
  • Leave a couple tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan, and sauté your chopped onion and jalapeño until onion is translucent (a couple minutes). Allow the onion and jalapeño drain on paper towels as well.
  • Towards the end of the beans' cooking process, preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
  • When beans are done, drain over a bowl or pan so you can reserve the cooking liquid.
  • In a Dutch oven, combine onion and jalapeño mixture, brown sugar, maple syrup, liquid smoke, dry mustard, and one cup of the bean liquid. Stir together then add the drained beans. Gently stir to combine.
  • Cover and bake for 1 hour.
  • Remove from oven and stirring gently, add ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and the coarsely chopped bacon to beans. If it appears that the beans need more liquid, go ahead and add more of the reserved bean liquid as needed.
  • Cook for 1 hour. Test to make sure beans are done; cook a little longer if necessary, up to 1.5 hours.
  • Remove cover and bake for 20-30 minutes more to thicken sauce. Stir gently, allow to cool 10 minutes, and serve.